PESHAWAR Dec 11 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif here Friday lauded the role of Islamia College Peshawar (ICP) in promotion of quality education and urged the students to wholeheartedly concentrate on their studies to effectively shoulders future responsibilities.
Addressing a huge gathering of the academicians, alumni of ICP and students on the occasion of centennial celebrations of ICP, founded in 1913, the Prime Minister said he feelsimmense pleasure to attend the celebrations of this great historic institution whose educational services were recognized over the years in high esteem.
The Prime Minister said this college was very close to his heart and called it his own college. He said he immediately accepted the invitation of the Governor KP to attend ICP
100 years’ celebration. “Last night I was thinking how he will attend ICP function due to cloudy weather and rainy conditions.
However, I had decided to go even by road if the
weather condition did not improve by morning to attend this august function,” the Prime Minister recalled.
The Prime Minister said father of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, had a great love for Islamia College Peshawar (ICP) who visited this historic institute on a number of occasions including 1948 as first Governor General of Pakistan and was greatly impressed by the role of its students during Pakistan movement.
He said Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had laid great emphasis on unity, faith and disciplines and these are the golden principles for all of us including students to attain glory and achievements in respective fields.
The Prime Minister said his government accords high priority to education and is striving hard to provide quality education and bring educational reforms besides raising literacy ratio, renovation of government schools, and establishment of science laboratories adding the process has already started from Islamabad. He asked provinces to take pragmatic measures for introducing reforms in education sector.
He advised students to concentrate on their studies and use their energies in new emerging fields including IT, science and technology, engineering, business, commerce, technical education and trade which have great potential for them.
He said huge funds were being spent on education projects and it was imperatives that the results of these should be visible and fruitful. The Prime Minister said he had devoted
the whole day for education and he visited a government school in Islamabad early morning and later he came to ICP.
The Prime Minister said menace of terrorism was being eliminated from the country and successful measures by the government have resulted in significant improvement in law
and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa especially in Peshawar.
“The law and order situation in KP and Peshawar is far better today than that of two years before,” he noted.
He lauded the sacrifices rendered by security forces, people, and officials of Government departments including teachers and students and police for protection of the motherland.
The Prime Minister while announcing Rs.50 million grant for welfare of students and teachers of ICP directed Chairman Higher Education Commission to provide grant of Rs.1,000 million to ICP for development projects.
Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor of Islamic College University Ajmal Khan presented shield to the Prime Minister.
Governor KP Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan, State Minister for Education, Balighur Rehman, Vice Chancellor ICP University Prof Dr Ajmal Khan, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Hidyatur Rehman were also present on the occasion.
The Prime Minister later wrote his comments on the ICP visitors’ book. Earlier, the students of Islamic Collegiate School of ICP presented an impressive drill show and gave warm welcome to the Prime Minister.
It is to mention that Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qaiyum Khan had founded ICP in 1913, Islamia College Peshawar which has now attained the status of a University.
