President asks nation to stand united against extremists
ISLAMABAD, July 19: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Thursday urged the nation to stand united against extremists to defeat them, as these elements were a threat to the country.
“The challenge needs to be faced with courage, but one person alone cannot do it. I cannot do it alone, neither the police, nor the army can do it alone, unless the people of the country support it,” he told a gathering of thousands of students from all over Punjab here at the Convention Centre.
The event was held to award Rs20,000 in cash to each of 3,000 students who had completed training from Vocational Training Institutes of Punjab, to help them start work in their respective trades under the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal's Rehabilitation Scheme.
“Only a few misguided elements are bent upon killing their fellow innocent Muslims by either blowing themselves up or blasting explosives-laden vehicles against them.
“What type of Islam is this? Who said Islam means to kill fellow Muslims? Are they serving its cause?” he asked.
President Musharraf, however, vowed to face the challenge and defeat these extremists.
“Almighty Allah will help us, as this country has been created with His blessings for the Muslims of the Sub-continent and He will help us get rid of these extremists,” the President said.
He said such acts of these extremist elements would hurt the country's economy.
“We have to take the country forward and with extremist activities, all economic achievements made over the years will go waste,” he added.
The President mentioned the turnaround the country's economy had witnessed over the past eight years, adding that trade relations and investments had significantly improved.
He said the country now had enough resources and was spending huge amounts on development projects and utilising the money for the welfare of the masses
The President, on this occasion, announced doubling of the programme, saying that now at least 50,000 students would be able to get training in the Punjab Vocational Institutes in a variety of trades.
He also announced an additional amount of Rs500 million for the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) to help finance the project.
“This is not all, we have the capacity to provide more resources and will continue to support the PBM in its efforts to help the poor stand on their own feet,” he added.
He regretted that governments in the past either lacked commitment or had no resources to help the masses stand on their own feet and initiate development activity.
The President said that the government was tackling the issue of poverty on different fronts, adding that it was very important that the youth learned necessary skills and use these to earn a decent living for themselves and their families.He admitted that one of the negative aspects of a growing economy was that prices of essential commodities had increased because of increasing demand. He claimed that the government was spending billions of rupees in subsidies to provide basic items to the needy at affordable prices.
He said 6000 Utility Stores outlets would become functional by the end of the year.
Later, the President handed over cheques for Rs20,000 each among the students.—APP
ISLAMABAD, July 19: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Thursday urged the nation to stand united against extremists to defeat them, as these elements were a threat to the country.
