QUETTA: President Mamnoon Hussain has said peace has been restored to the country and terrorism will also be uprooted soon.

Addressing the 9th convocation of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University here on Wednesday, he said the nation would have to forget bitter past for the “great cause of bright future of our youth and new generation”.

Balochistan Governor Mohammad Khan Achakzai, who is also Chancellor of the SBK Women University, and Vice Chancellor Rukhsana Jabeen also spoke at the convocation which was attended among others by provincial ministers and lawmakers.

President Hussain said that doors of prosperity for the youth of Balochistan would open if the local people played their due role in foiling nefarious designs of enemies and conspiracies hatched against development of the country and the province. He said Pakistan was rich in natural resources which were enough to achieve the goals of progress and prosperity.

“Our youth are leaders of the country. They will play their significant role in development of the country,” he said, adding that now when complete peace had been restored to Balochistan, all stakeholders would have to work for the cause of development of the region and bright future of new generation rather than for their personal gains and interests.

President Hussain said he was proud of the students of SBK Women University who could not be discouraged from continuing their studies despite the terror attack on their university. “Terro­rism has been defeated in Balochistan when the students of SBK Women University continued getting education despite the fact that a number of their colleagues and teachers were killed in acts of terrorism at the varsity,” he said.

The president said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was going to make a new history and a prosperous Balochistan was linked with it, adding that the youth of Balochistan would get jobs in mega projects being launched under the CPEC. “Youth of Balo­chistan will have to equip themselves with modern knowledge and skills to work in these projects,” he said.

The president said Balochistan was experiencing a better environment for economic activities and urged all stakeholders, including political leaders, religious scholars, intellectuals, academicians and students, to join hands for development of the province.

He said some elements were involved in conspiracies to spread hatred to halt the process of development in Balochistan. “All stakeholders will have to play their role in removing obstacles in the way of development. They should forge unity to foil conspiracies being hatched against the country at the local and international levels,” he added.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2018