PESHAWAR, Oct 22: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah said on Wednesday that the development of the means of communication, especially transportation, was imperative for national economic growth.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the 14th convocation of the Military Engineering College, Risalpur, in Nowshera.

The governor said: “The world  is undergoing a geopolitical transformation, giving birth to new realities, it has shrunk into a global village and the means of communication have attained an unprecedented significance.”

In the changed circumstances, geopolitical location of Pakistan had  assumed the importance of a bridge between the Central Asian states and the rest of the world, he said and added: “Well-developed means of transportation have a vital role to play in the fulfilment of this national dictate.”

He urged the engineers to respond with vigour and dedication to the future challenges.

Army Engineers’ Corps Engineer-in-Chief Lt-Gen Mohammad Zubair, in his welcome address, highlighted the role of army engineers.

#PPI adds:# The governor said the college had assessed the need of the hour and instituted post-graduation in geo-technical, structural and transportation engineering.

He said the college had also enabled the National Institute of Transportation to become functional with its academic and administrative support.

He lauded the collaboration between the college and the Michigan State University.

He also appreciated the contribution being made through research at the college and the contemplated expansion of collaboration with other universities.

The governor said the armed forces must be proud that the graduates of their institutions were at the helm of affairs in a large number of government, semi-government and private concerns and ministries.

The commandant of the college, Brig Agha Ali Hassan, presented the annual report of the institution.

The governor awarded degrees and awards to the graduates of the 1998 to 2001 sessions. Capt Imran Tariq, Maj Mohammad Imtinan Babar, Capt Adeel Zafar and Lt Saadat Hassan bagged the President’s Gold Medals.

The Engineer-in-Chief’s Silver Medals went to Capt Fazal Hassan Khan, Maj Arif Majeed, Capt Irfan Khalid, Capt Anwar Ahmad and Lt Jehanzeb Chatta for getting distinctions in their respective sessions.

The degrees of Capt Sameel Niaz, Capt Mohammad Yasar Ismail and Capt Usman Javed, who had embraced martyrdom while performing different missions, were received by their parents and friends.