PESHAWAR - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has said that promotion of education is the only way to cope with the challenges like extremism, terrorism, poverty, law and order and unemployment.
He said that they must have to inculcate in their youths the spirit of tolerance, respect and moderation in order to battle extremism. He was addressing a colourful gathering on occasion of 27th Founders’ Day of Fazl-e-Haq College Mardan on Thursday. Secretary Elementary and Secondary Education Hamayun Khan, Principal FCM Colonel Sultan Zeb, teachers, students and their parents were also present on the occasion.
The chief minister said that the quality of workforce, education and skills were central to growth of a country. He said that education was the major factor in socio-economic development of the country.
He said that the youth were thir future and asset and no nation could afford to neglect its future. He said that the present elected government has undertaken unprecedented steps for the promotion of basic, higher, technical and professional education. He said that it was a reality that Fazl-e-Haq College has not only strived for academic excellence but also emphasised on character building of the youth and the old Haqs were excelling in various walks of life not only in Pakistan but were also earning a good name for the country abroad. He said that being son of Mardan, “I had a special and natural attachment with this college.” He said that the college has earned name in both curricular and extracurricular activities. He paid rich tributes to founding fathers of the college Lt Gen Fazl-e-Haq (Late) and Khan Abdul Ali Khan (Late) and said that the plant they planted; now bearing fruits. The chief minister said that Mardan has the best road infra structure in the province, which was on the track of development. He said that seven thousand students were enrolled to Abdul Wali Khan University. He said that besides Bacha Khan Medical College, a Girls Commerce College in Mardan was also under construction. He said his educational efforts were not limited to Mardan and seven new universities in the province were established in four-and-a-half years while 75 colleges for boys and girls were under construction. He said that an educated mother was the need and guarantee of a successful man. He said that success was due to prayers of mothers and better rearing.
The chief minister said that the present government has provided Rs 123 million to the college and a number of projects were accomplished due to that while some were under completion. He said that more than Rs 106 million was provided for Amir Haider Auditorium, repair and rehabilitation of Sher Shah House and Academic Bloc, Six classrooms, construction of Admin Bloc, rehabilitation and Black topping of roads inside college, reconstruction of summer school camp in Swat and Gratuity Scheme for college staff while additional Rs 17 million was provided from the special package for rehabilitation of water supply scheme and transport facilities. Earlier, principal of the college Col Sultan Zeb presented the welcome address. He highlighted the achievements of students of the college in curricular and co-curricular activities. He thanked the chief minister on his personal interests in uplift and development of the college.