SIBI: President Mamnoon Hussain Sunday urged the youngsters of Balochistan province to achieve excellence in modern sciences to fully exploit the imminent development opportunities under China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Addressing the concluding ceremony of Sibi Festival here, the president advised the Balochistan government to formulate a comprehensive policy to train the youngsters in the fields of sailing, its allied professions, modern banking, business techniques as well as the hospitality of the foreign tourists.
The ceremony was attended by Governor Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Provincial Livestock Minister Agha Syed Muhammad Raza, Local Government Minister Ghulam Dastgir Badini, besides huge number of industrialists, businessmen and hundreds of youngsters.
Sibi Festival is a centuries-old event held to welcome the spring season. The event features the folk cultural performances, setting up stalls, display of handicrafts and a cattle shows.
Addressing the ceremony, the president said the event had become popular across the country as it brought joys and smiles to people.
He said Pakistan, particularly Balochistan, had faced many years of ordeal due to poor law and order situation but the brave people of Balochistan remained steadfast and optimist.
But now, the sacrifices of the Baloch people had come to fruition as peace had restored and the forces of peace were getting strength. He urged the people to get united for peace and development of the province so that they could leave behind a safe and prosperous Pakistan for the generations to come.
He said the Balcoh people had a major responsibility to make CPEC a success and urged them to be ready to exploit the numerous opportunities to be brought by the CPEC.
President Mamnoon said the dream of converting CPEC into a reality demanded the national unity by putting aside the petty differences.
He also ruled the out the rumours of any changes in the CPEC route and assured the people the project was being executed as per the basic design.
He said besides bringing closer to each other, CPEC would also help uplift the backward areas of both Pakistan and China.
President Mamnoon said the people of Balochistan and all the backward areas would get major benefit from the CPEC. He said the it was undeniable fact that people of Balochistan had the foremost right on Balochistan that would be protected.
He said keeping in view the future scope and needs of the Chinese language owing to CPEC, the youth must learn the language.
He told the gathering that he had allocated a huge chunk of President House’s funds for establishment of a National University of Modern Languages (NUML) campus in Gwadar to teach Chinese language to Baloch youth.
He also lauded the multiple performances by the youngsters and role of the departments concerned to enrich the beauty of the event.
The President said federal government was taking measures to bring Balochistan at par with other province in development, while different ongoing development projects would be completed expeditiously in province under federal government which would provide overall benefits to people of the province.
“Federal projects of energy can be completed in few months which will help overcome the energy shortages and end load-shedding in the province”, he added.
He said such historic festival is main resources of increasing economic activity in the area.
Earlier Balochistan Minsiter for Local Government and Rural Development wore traditional Balochi turban to President Mamnoon Hussain and Governor Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai.
Published in Daily Times, March 5th 2018.
