Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said any NRO for jailed looters of national wealth is simply out of question.
“The opponents are raising hue and cry so that I give them NRO. This is simply out of question,” he said while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of new academic block at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology in Topi.
Imran Khan said his opponents often accuse him of taking U-turns from a particular stance, and added, “I make compromises for achieving my goals, rather than compromising on my goals.” He categorically rejected any chance of reconciliation with the jailed looters of the country’s wealth.
The prime minister said Pakistan has no dearth of resources and capable human resource and stressed that strengthening of institutions and focusing on education is vital for the country’s progress. He said the government has placed education among its top priorities with no compromise on its quality and standards. Addressing the under-graduate students, the prime minister advised them to always follow the mindset that leads to positivity and towards achievement of their goals, rather than getting demoralised by challenges in life. “Expect challenges surfacing in your life, but never let your inner fear overcome you and distract you from your dreams,” he said.
The prime minister said role models are important to set a direction in one’s life and urged upon the students to follow Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) as their inspiration, who established the world’s first-ever modern state based on a just society that also provided unprecedented rights to women and banished slavery. He said the victory of Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) against infidels in the Battle of Badar in AD 625 with only 313 men, and defeating the Roman and Persian Empires in AD 636 and AD 638 respectively, were the topics that needed to be thoroughly studied.
Imran Khan said history only remembers those who do not confine their vision to themselves but act in the best interest of humanity. He said Quaid-e-Azam, once a staunch supporter of Hindu-Muslim unity, realised the mentality of prejudice against Muslims similar to the agenda of RSS in India and worked tirelessly towards his goal of getting a separate homeland.
The prime minister said 60 percent youth in the country are below the age of 30 years, who can prove as an engine of positive change in the right direction. He said Islam holds scholars in high esteem and vowed to restore the culture of respect for teachers in the society.
Chief Minsiter Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Federal Minister for Educaton Shafqat Mehmood and provincial minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra accompanied the prime minister.
Covering an area of 162,000 square feet, the project has been completed in two years. The four-story academic block has 12 classrooms, 20 laboratories, 42 faculty offices, three conference rooms and can accommodate around 1,000 students. Other facilities include quiz and research halls, gymnasium, internet service and also heating, cooling and fire detection systems.
