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LAHORE, Dec 09 (APP): Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has said that the true wealth of any nation is not its treasury but its educated youth.
He was addressing, as chief guest, the 28th Annual Convocation of the University of Management and Technology (UMT) here Tuesday. The event saw an impressive turnout of graduating students, parents, faculty members, educationists, industrialists, business leaders, and UMT alumni from diverse sectors.
According to the university administration, more than 2,000 students received their degrees this year. The graduating batch included 74 PhD scholars, 185 gold medalists, and 300 distinguished scholarship recipients. The university’s deans, directors, senior officials, and 133 volunteer students, ensuring a well-organized and dignified ceremony.
In his address, the Provincial Finance Minister congratulated the graduates and said that the young achievers of UMT are not only celebrating the reward of their hard work but also represent a strong promise for Pakistan’s bright future. He also paid tribute to the tireless efforts and contributions of parents and teachers in shaping the success of the students.
Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman commended UMT for its academic excellence and its remarkable contributions in research, technology, engineering, business, and social sciences. He said that institutions like UMT are delivering world-class education while playing a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s intellectual and economic landscape.
The Minister highlighted the Punjab Government’s education-friendly policies and ongoing youth development initiatives. He stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Punjab, the province is experiencing one of the most comprehensive educational reform eras in its history. He noted that transformative programmes for school rehabilitation, smart classrooms, digital libraries, modern IT laboratories, teacher training, and the development of higher education institutions are being implemented at an unprecedented scale.
He emphasized that no deserving student in Punjab will be denied education due to financial barriers. In this regard, he termed the CM Punjab Education Endowment & Scholarship Expansion Program as a milestone initiative that is enabling thousands of students to access quality higher education.
Sharing details of new opportunities for the youth, he noted that Punjab Skills for Employment Programme is equipping young people with training in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, FinTech, cyber security, data analytics, and other emerging technologies, ensuring their competitiveness in global markets.
The Finance Minister further said that Punjab is rapidly advancing toward a knowledge-based economy, supported by increased resources for higher education, expanded research grants, incubation centers, and international academic partnerships. He stressed that the Punjab Government views education not merely as a sector but as a mission, and the improvement of educational institutions remains its foremost priority.
In his concluding remarks, he urged the graduating students to embrace their professional journeys with integrity, hard work, creativity, and a deep sense of responsibility. He noted that Pakistan’s future lies in classrooms, university laboratories, research centers, and in the dreams and aspirations of its youth.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the UMT administration expressed gratitude to the Finance Minister and presented him with a commemorative shield. The Minister reaffirmed the Punjab Government’s full support for UMT in the fields of education and research.