Loans shook foundations of country: CM

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that it is unfortunate that todays Pakistan does not reflect the vision of its founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah or the Poet of the East nor it is the country for which the Muslims rendered innumerable sacrifices. While addressing a function regarding distribution of interest-free Qarz-e-Hasna to 3,500 families by Akhuwat Trust at Samaa Hall of Data Darbar, here on Sunday, he said foreign assistance had become a habit while foreign loans had shaken the foundations of the country. Chief Executive Akhuwat Trust Dr. Amjad Saqib, Members National and Provincial Assemblies, philanthropists and a large number of people from different walks of life were present. He said no nation could achieve progress through foreign aid and had it been so the situation in Pakistan, which is under the foreign debt of 63 billion dollars, would have been different and there would not have been poverty or backwardness. He said that Pakistan had a heavy burden of loans due to which it had to take dictation from others. He said that equitable distribution of resources was essential for making Pakistan an Islamic welfare state in the real sense while equipping the youth with the latest knowledge is inevitable to give up reliance on others. The CM said the fund of ten thousand rupees with which the scheme was started by Akhuwat Trust ten years ago had now reached the figure of one billion rupees and 90 thousand families had benefited from this scheme. He said that Akhuwat Trust had set a noble example of public service and a large number of people who wanted to stand on their own feet through earning their living honourably were benefiting from this scheme. He said that the whole credit for this achievement went to Dr Amjad Saqib who was chief executive of the trust. He said while the rich had all luxuries of life at their doorstep, the poor and the common man had been deprived of even necessities. He said that while on the one hand the elite had the best treatment and education facilities, on the other hand the poor were denied even basic healthcare and education. He said that as the local resources had not been developed and the country relied on foreign aid, the nation had not achieved economic independence while its nuclear programme was also irritating others. He said that the elite will have to adopt austerity and divert resources towards poor as it was the only way to regain the lost status of the country. He said that Punjab government had diverted all its resources for the welfare of the people and besides provision of free medicines, dialysis facilities and air-conditioners in hospitals, quality education facilities was also being provided to the poor. He said that Punjab Educational Endowment Fund had been set up for talented students facing financial problems while the amount of this fund which was Rs.2 billion had now been increased to Rs.10 billion. He said that talented students of Punjab as well as other provinces of the country were also being provided scholarships from this fund. He said that Punjab government will also associate with the Akhuwat Trust and extend all out cooperation for furthering this noble cause. Chief Executive Akhuwat Trust Dr Amjad Saqib while addressing the function said that the Trust has given loans of Rs 1 billion to such small families which had no hope. He said that the philosophy of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) will have to be followed for elimination of poverty from the society. He said more than 90,000 families were associated with this institution and now the scope of this programme had been extended to Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that the ratio of repayment of loans was 100 per cent which was a shining example of honesty. Later, the Chief Minister distributed cheques of Qarz-e-Hasna under the Akhuwat Trust. Earlier, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif offered Fateha at Data Darbar and also performed Chaddar Poshi.