Rawalakot:(Parliament Times) Highlighting the importance of quality education the President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan has said that we can progress and develop as a nation by investing in building a knowledge-based economy.
The President made these remarks while addressing the groundbreaking event of the Trar Sub-campus University of Poonch here in Rawalakot. Prof. Dr. Rasul Jan, Vice Chancellor University of Poonch extensively briefed the President – who is also the Chancellor of public sector Universities in AJK – on the construction of Phase I of the project.
Speaking on the occasion the president stated that providing quality education to the masses was government’s one amongst top priorities. “We will focus on investment in new age disciplines, innovation and research”, he said adding that developed countries invest heavily in providing quality education to their people and education was the common denominator which defines the progress and prosperity of any nation.
President Azad Kashmir urged the students to pursue academic excellence along with focusing on character building. He said students are the future of any nation and it is important that they inculcate a sense of service to the society. He said that students owe their success to their parents and they must ensure that they live up to their expectations and the expectations of the society at large.
With the current economic boom in AJK, the President said that the students must focus on acquiring knowledge in disciplines which conform to current trends in the job market. He said that currently, the government is focusing on infrastructure development, construction of roads, hydropower projects, agriculture and industry which will also help provide new job opportunities for the graduates.
Furthermore, he said that projects in AJK under the auspices of China Pakistan Economic Corridor are also under various phases of completion and planning like the Karot Hydropower project, Kohala Hydropower project, Special Economic Zone in Mirpur and the Mansehra-Mirpur expressway. Benefits form these projects will be reaped by all in Azad Kashmir, he said.
The President said that in the Indian Occupied Kashmir state terrorism is being perpetrated by the 700,000 occupation forces and acts of terror committed by the RSS extremists. He said that India has unleashed brute force on the Kashmiris and openly murdered civilians, maimed thousands of protestors with pellet guns, dishonoured women folk and has used malicious tactics to transform the demography of Muslim populated areas.
The President reiterated that in today’s world the youth are global citizens who have access to social media platforms and can positively project the Kashmir cause to their peers and the global civil society.
President Masood Khan congratulated the Vice Chancellor, administration and the faculty on the groundbreaking of the new sub-campus. He said that the campus will be completed in due time and will be fully equipped to cater to the academic needs of the students.
The event was also attended by Commissioner Poonch Division Abdul Hameed Mughal, Deputy Commissioner Rawalakot, other officers of the district administration, faculty, a large number of students and notables from all over Poonch.