ISLAMABAD, June 17: Describing children as an invaluable asset to the country, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday said the government would ensure all basic facilities and education to help them become responsible citizens.

This was stated by the Prime Minister while addressing a group of children from “Idar-i-Taleem-o-Agahi” and Pakistan Baitul Maal Rehabilitation Centre for Child Labour at his National Assembly chamber.

Representatives of the children, asked the government to take effective measures against child labour and particularly demanded ban on children working in mines.

The prime minister assured them that the government would strictly implement the ban on working of children in mines.

He said it was the duty of all to look after and ensure education and welfare of children

The Prime Minister asked children to work hard and focus on learning to become useful citizens.

“Illiterate nations can never progress”, the Prime Minister said and reiterated that the government was committed to ensure that every child at least gets primary education.

Prime Minister Aziz said the government was fully alive to the fact that children should not be involved in labour, but added that the civil society had an equal role to play in checking this menace and work for the welfare of the children.

The government, the Prime Minister said, has chalked out a programme to provide clean drinking water at union council level by 2007. This he said, would reduce water-borne diseases especially in children.

He also informed them about the establishment of Child Protection Bureaus in all provinces to entertain complaints against child abuses and take steps to address them.

The Prime Minister urged the students to pay respect to their teachers and parents as their guidance was always to their benefit.

The Prime Minister asked them to work hard to make Pakistan a great country, saying, it is only possible if they pay attention to their education and strive with an aim to make Pakistan a glorious nation.—APP

Our reporter adds: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said overseas Pakistanis are a great asset and can contribute to the country’s development through their expertise and investment.

He was talking to Sajjad H. Karim, member of European parliament, who called on him at the National Assembly chamber on Friday.

Mr Aziz said due to reforms undertaken over the years, investment climate in the country had become very conducive, the per capita income had increased and Pakistan had achieved a growth rate of 8.4 per cent placing it among the top five Asian countries in terms of growth.

He said Pakistan had an open economy and “we have created an enabling environment by pursuing a policy of privatization, deregulation and liberalization, so that investors could do business without any restrictions”.

“We would welcome and encourage investors from Europe,” he added.

Sajjad H. Karim said the visits of President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had a tremendous impact and Pakistan was now considered in a favourable light.

He hoped that visits of more European delegations to Pakistan would create a better understanding and further improve ties between Pakistan and Europe.

The prime minister appreciated the support extended by the European parliament on GSP and GSP plus and hoped that relations between Pakistan and the European parliament would improve further.

Mr Aziz congratulated Sajjad H. Karim on his election as member of European parliament.