SWABI: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday said students should utilise their full potential to contribute to the country’s economic progress.

He said this during an interaction with students during a visit to the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology here.

The prime minister also inaugurated a girls’ hostel and met members of the GIK Institute’s parent body, Society for Promotion of Engineering Sciences and Technology in Pakistan, including president Salim Saifullah Khan, executive director Shakil Durrani, GIK Institute rector Prof Fazal Ahmad Khalid, pro-rectors and directors.

The hostel’s construction was financed by the National Bank of Pakistan.

Visits GIK Institute in Swabi

During his meeting with students, the prime minister said that the federal government would extend “complete” support to the GIK Institute for initiatives meant to impart quality education to the youth.

He said that the institute had played a leading role in fulfilling its responsibility of transferring modern knowledge to the youth of the country.

“The GIK Institute will establish its campus in Islamabad and the government will fully support the initiative,” he said.

Mr Kakar said that he wanted the institute to establish campuses in every province of the country to offer contemporary education.

“We [federal government] will help the GIK Institute expand its reach through a sub-campus in Islamabad and Rawalpindi in the immediate future for which the institute is in the process of purchasing land,” he said.

The prime minister said that the government was striving to help universities across the country.

He said that there was a need for focusing on science and technology to achieve economic development in the country.

Mr Kakar said the youth should seek knowledge considering it a noble cause.

He lauded the GIK Institute’s faculty for its contribution to developments in diverse fields.

The prime minister praised former president, late Ghulam Ishaq Khan, for setting up the GIK Institute.

“This institute has been a source of pride for us all for being a centre of excellence on the country’s academic landscape for the last three decades. Pakistan needs institutions like it to help meet future challenges,” he said.

The prime minister also planted a sapling on the campus.

On the occasion, GIK Institute rector Prof Fazal Ahmad Khalid highlighted the courses offered by his educational institution and its accomplishments during the last 30 years.

APP ADDS FROM PESHAWAR: Caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaarul Haq Kakar here on Wednesday announced upgradation of Khyber Medical College (KMC), Peshawar, and Ayub Medical College (AMC), Abbottabad, as public sector medical universities.

The prime minister made the announcement while addressing the 46th annual meeting of Association of Physicians of Pakistan Descent of North America (APPNA) organised by the alumni of Khyber Medical College Peshawar at Governor House.

On the request of members of APPNA and its president Dr Arshad Rehman, Prime Minister Kakar said that practical work on upgradation of KMC and AMC as public sector medical universities should be initiated within 35 hours by the respective authorities.

Commending APPNA’s rich services for ailing humanity and continued long connection with people of their home country, the prime minister directed the Khyber Pakthunkhwa governor and chief minister to give practical shape to upgradation of KMC and AMC to full-fledged medical universities.

While lauding services of students of both these medical colleges in healthcare service in the country as well as abroad, the prime minister said that Pakistani doctors serving in United States and others foreign countries were like ambassadors of Pakistan and their medical and surgical services besides philanthropy contribution during earthquake, floods and other natural calamities in Pakistan was highly praiseworthy.

The prime minister said he was very pleased that Pakistani doctors settled in America had strong roots and bonds with their countrymen and they helped Pakistan in every difficult situation.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2023