MUZAFFARABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said Pakistan’s youth were the country’s greatest strength and investing in their education and skills was an investment in the future.
Addressing the ceremony while formally launching the distribution of laptops under the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Program in Azad Jammu and Kashmir at the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK), the Prime Minister said laptops were not mere machines but a means of connecting the youth with the world, knowledge and opportunities.
He cited success stories from students who, he said, had used laptops previously to build their careers and overcome social and economic obstacles.
“Our young people, especially Generation Z, are more aware, more capable and better equipped to use technology than previous generations,” the Prime Minister said.
He urged students to play a positive role in the digital and social media space, warning against the spread of misinformation and fake news. “Today, truth and lies are often shaped by stories. Our educated youth must stand up for facts and accountability,” he said.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to merit, the prime minister said the laptops had also been distributed strictly on merit in previous programmes, rejecting criticism that such initiatives were political giveaways.
He said continuing education during the Covid-19 pandemic through laptops was proof of their value.
The Prime Minister also announced important education initiatives for Azad Jammu and Kashmir, including the approval of four Danish schools, the proposed technology-focused Danish University and the revival of the Prime Minister’s Education Endowment Fund to provide scholarships to talented but underprivileged students from AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and other parts of the country, including for studies in the foreigner.
Addressing Kashmir, he said the people of Kashmir had made immense sacrifices and their emotional bond with Pakistan was unbreakable.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris and called for unity, hard work and faith to achieve national goals.
The Prime Minister concluded by saying that disciplined efforts, unity and conviction were essential to make Pakistan strong and prosperous. “Our youth are our future,” he said, expressing confidence that with opportunities and merit, they would take Pakistan and Kashmir forward on the world map.
Ports
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting regarding the task force constituted for reforms in Pakistani ports.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday highlighted the importance of ports which played an extremely important role in boosting trade activity and economic growth and took various measures to accelerate trade, connectivity and economic activity.
Chairing a meeting regarding the task force constituted for reforms in the country’s ports, he directed that various port-related departments should further strengthen mutual coordination to facilitate business so that the dwell time of goods could be reduced to the minimum.
He also ordered that various types of port taxes be further reduced.
The Prime Minister received recommendations regarding facilities and reforms at ports for the business community, the media wing of the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Musadik Malik, State Minister Bilal Azhar Kiyani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar and senior government officials concerned.
The Prime Minister stressed that a transparent system should be put in place for auctioning abandoned goods at ports. Separate yards should be established at different ports in the country for abandoned goods, and services of internationally renowned companies should be engaged for the purpose, he added.
He further requested that initial testing laboratories for inspection of goods be established at ports, adding that unnecessary laboratory testing of goods should be abolished.
The Prime Minister ordered that dredging and expansion work in all ports be accelerated so that large ships can dock there.
He also highlighted improved rail connectivity from ports for domestic transportation of goods.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister appreciated the efforts of the task force led by Ziad Bashir in presenting concrete proposals.
Ziad Bashir said the transparent privatization of PIA had significantly boosted the confidence of the Pakistani business community.
During the briefing, it was informed that work on the National Ports Master Plan was progressing rapidly. The community port system has recently been made operational.
Various charges at the country’s ports have been reduced and recently, a reduction of more than 50 percent was achieved in bulk cargo charges at Port Qasim.
New investments in various ports of Pakistan are improving their performance, it was added.
The Prime Minister was informed that an electronic bidding system for the auction of abandoned goods would soon be introduced, allowing anyone across the country to participate remotely.
While tenders for the expansion and dredging of Karachi ports have already been awarded and the work will begin soon, it was added.
Privatization of the PIA
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday appreciated the government team involved in the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), saying the successful completion of the process marked a major milestone achieved in the larger national interest.
He ordered that all loss-making public entities be discharged immediately and transparently to avoid annual losses, and that the funds be spent for the development and prosperity of the country.
Addressing the government team members associated with the privatization process, the Prime Minister said that the privatization of PIA was concluded a day earlier with full transparency, professionalism and teamwork. He recalled that several attempts had been made in the past to privatize airlines, but these efforts had not been successful for certain reasons. A similar attempt last year also failed, he added.
The Prime Minister said that the government was not losing courage and had decided to move forward again in an accelerated manner, despite the complexity and difficulty of the task. He said the process was carried out through close coordination, consultations and teamwork involving legal, financial and technical experts, as well as relevant ministries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that earlier this month he personally met potential bidders, discussed their concerns in detail and addressed their reservations. With their agreement, December 23 was set as the date for disinvestment, he added.
He said the tender mechanism was finalized through mutual consultations to ensure full transparency. The cabinet committee approved a benchmark price of Rs 100 billion as recommended by the Privatization Commission.
The prime minister said the bidding process was televised live and the final bid was set at Rs 135 billion. Including the remaining 25 per cent of government shares, he said the total valuation reached Rs 180 billion.
He said the government had learned from past failures and ensured that mistakes were not repeated, adding that the entire process had been conducted in a transparent and professional manner.
Congratulating the nation, the Prime Minister said the successful conclusion of the process was made possible due to the prayers and support of the people.
He expressed hope that the new management would bring new investments, modern equipment and new aircraft, enabling PIA to grow further in the coming days. He also congratulated the investors who acquired the airline.
The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of the government team, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Privatization Commission Chairman Muhammad Ali, Usman Akhtar Bajwa, Asad Hussain and Zeeshan Hussain.
He called Privatization Commission Chairman Muhammad Ali the “star” of the team and announced that he would be honored on March 23 in recognition of his services.
The Prime Minister pointed out that PIA suffered annual losses of around Rs 35 billion due to poor practices, inefficiency and lack of commitment. He said the officers working day and night for national development, poverty alleviation and economic stability were the real heroes.
The Prime Minister also presented awards to members of the government team who played a key role in the successful completion of the privatization process of PIA during the ceremony.
