Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that role of women especially girl students is of vital importance to national development and the goal of rapid progress and prosperity of the country can be achieved through their empowerment.

He said that Punjab government is utilising all available resources for this purpose.

He also announced setting up of a separate fund for the provision of job opportunities to young women.

He said that Kinnaird College is a prominent educational institution of the country and has a glorious record of academic and extracurricular activities.

He said that Kinnaird College has produced prominent personalities which are rendering commendable services in judiciary, administration and other sectors.

He was addressing a seminar on women empowerment at Kinnaird College, here on Friday.

Women members of national and provincial assemblies, Principal, teachers and a large number of students were present on the occasion.

Addressing the seminar, the Chief Minister said that women constitute more than half of the country’s population and this fact should be accepted.

He said that Pakistan faced a national tragedy by negating majority due to which the country was disintegrated.

He said that granting of rights to women is essential for ensuring their participation in the efforts for development and progress.

He said that Pakistani women are rendering glorious services in science, medicine, arts and other sectors and a major chunk of funds allocated for top position holders in examinations goes to girl students.

He said that the new generation should rise up for the implementation of the national agenda of development and transforming Pakistan in accordance with the ideals of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.

Commenting on national situation, the Chief Minister said that national resources have not been developed despite a lapse of 64 years due to which Pakistan is lagging far behind in the race for progress and prosperity.

He said that India, Bangladesh and other countries have strengthened their economies through hard work and commitment.

He said that only hard work is the key to progress and development and it is the time for inculcating this spirit and making sincere efforts for national progress.

He said that elite of the country has been enjoying all privileges but the majority of the population has been deprived of even basic facilities.

He said that time has come to ensure equitable distribution of resources and include the marginalised segments of society into national mainstream through providing them basic amenities.

He said that Pakistan is not the name of Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and other big cities only but small towns and villages are also part of this country.

He said that unless the youth living in the dusty streets of small cities and towns are provided with the opportunities of development, the fate of the country cannot be changed.

He said that it is high time we should change the course of history and face the challenges and problems courageously for putting the country on the road to progress and development.

He said that only those nations progress and prosper that rely on their own resources and live within their means instead of begging from others.

He said that in order to rid the country of the charity of Aghyaar, the indigenous resources will have to be developed as it is the only way to survive as a living nation.

He said that had Pakistan not been a beggar country it would not have to face the tragedy of the death of its 25 Army officers and Jawans.

He said that shedding tears over such incidents and issuance of messages of lamentation is futile rather for that a decision will have to be made at national level.

Referring to the measures for the development of the province and uplift of different sectors, he said that all out resources are being utilised for the welfare and betterment of the masses and effective steps have been taken for the development of education, health, transport and other sectors.

He said that Punjab Educational Endowment Fund has been set up first time in the history of the country and 30 thousand talented students are being provided with scholarships from the fund.

He said that government has started provision of interest-free loans of one billion rupees to skilled youth for starting their own business and women can also obtain these loans.

Earlier, Principal Kinnaird College Dr Rukhsana David while highlighting the curricular and co-curricular activities of the college said that the students have shown excellent performance in both these fields.

She said that cricket team of Kinnaird College is the best team of the country while students of the college have also obtained top positions in different examinations.

She said that Kinnaird College is playing an important role in equipping girls with modern education.

Source: BUSINESS RECORDER