Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Dr. Ahsan Iqbal has said that alongside education young people must focus on becoming individuals of strong character as hard work, dedication and service to humanity are the true paths to success.
\nHe expressed these views while addressing a ceremony at Karakoram International University (KIU) on Wednesday.
\nDr. Ahsan Iqbal said that money is not everything and even without financial resources one can achieve their goals through commitment and perseverance.
\nSharing challenges from his own academic journey, he said that despite hardships he became a six-time member of the national assembly and four-time minister for planning.
\nHe warned that spreading hate in society is like a dangerous virus that makes people look down upon one another.
\n\u201cDifferences are natural, but they must never reach a point where they harm others. We must learn to coexist with respect, dialogue and tolerance, because we are one nation,\u201d he added.
\nHighlighting constitutional and financial rights, the minister said People of Gilgit-Baltistan must receive their rightful share in the NFC Award. If constitutional amendments are needed they should be made. We will also convince other provinces that GB and Azad Kashmir deserve their due rights.<\/p>\n
Dr. Ahsan Iqbal said that under Vision 2025 new universities and higher education institutions were established across Pakistan, including Gilgit Baltistan. He announced that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) will provide funds for all three KIU campuses to improve educational access in the region.
\nResponding to questions from students, Dr. Ahsan Iqbal said that the government that came into power in 2018 \u201cput CPEC in reverse gear,\u201d halting development and shelving several key projects. He said numerous energy projects had been initiated to address GB\u2019s chronic power crisis, adding:\u201cIn the next two years, people will witness a visible improvement.\u201d
\nHe emphasized the need to utilize GB\u2019s natural resources efficiently. \u201cThe Prime Minister has approved a one-billion-rupee endowment fund to support deserving students with their fees,\u201d he said.
\nDr. Ahsan Iqbal added that in Past Pakistan\u2019s economy was pushed into crisis, and now the responsibility lies on everyone to help bring it back on track.
\nFormer Chief Minister of Gilgit Baltistan and President PML-N GB Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman speaking on the occasion said that Dr. Ahsan Iqbal played a key role in the establishment of universities and technology-related institutions across Pakistan. He urged the federal government to resolve KIU\u2019s financial issues, adding that despite generous federal support, provincial inefficiency has prevented GB from fully benefiting.
\nEarlier, KIU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Attaullah Shah briefed the minister on the university\u2019s progress. He said that the construction of the Engineering Faculty was the biggest milestone of the past seven years, made possible through Ahsan Iqbal\u2019s special interest. He also highlighted financial challenges and requested a separate campus for female students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Dr. Ahsan Iqbal has said that alongside education young people must focus on becoming individuals of strong character as hard work, dedication and service to humanity are the true paths to success. He expressed these views while addressing a ceremony at Karakoram International University (KIU) on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":476986,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-516818","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n