ISLAMABAD, May 25 (APP): President Mamnoon Hussain on
Wednesday said solution to all the problems of the country
lay in democracy and only through democratic dispensation,
continuity of the political system could be attained, good
governance achieved and economy stabilized.

He expressed his satisfaction that all sections of the
society were united in the quest to achieve progress and
prosperity and the country was moving in the right direction.
The President was addressing the 7th Convocation of the
Quaid-e-Azam University here at Jinnah Convention Centre.
Vice-Chancellor Quaid-e-Azam University Dr Javed Ashraf was also present on the occasion.

He urged the youth to acquire modern and scientific
education, noting that those nations excelled in the
world, which had quality human resource.

The President advised the youth to fully focus on their
education and the girls in particular should not accept any
hindrance in acquiring education and also not hesitate to go
for studies abroad if they feel it necessary.

He advised the female students not to blindly ape the West and to proudly follow Islamic traditions to earn a good name for their country.

He stated that the government was committed to improve
the standard of life of the people by stabilizing the national
economy. It was working under a balanced strategy for the
development and prosperity of all segments of the society and the country was moving in the right direction.

“For this reason, we need experts in economy, banking,
science & technology and other important fields so that the
process of progress and prosperity can be taken forward,” he remarked.

The President said Pakistan would emerge as an important trading hub of the region after operationalization of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He hoped that the Gwadar Port would become functional by
the end of 2016, which would usher in a new era of economic development and progress.

The President underlined that in order to put the national economy on strong footing, there was a need to fully
take advantage of the CPEC. He emphasized that there was no change in the CPEC’s route.

He hoped that after completion of the ongoing energy
projects, the country would be able to overcome electricity
load-shedding.

He noted that the country was moving in the right
direction until 1970s but afterwards it got detracted due to
bad governance and corruption. Now the government
was working in the right direction and the country’s economy had revived, he added.

He noted with satisfaction that there was a significant
improvement in the economic indicators as a result of prudent policies and improved law and order situation.

The President urged the well-off to pay their due taxes
in order to increase government resources for spending on
public welfare.

He stated that corruption had eroded the foundation of
society and emphasized upon the need to get rid of this menace to ensure economic development and well-being of the people.

The President noted with satisfaction that the general
law and order situation in the country had improved and
reaffirmed the resolve of the government to continue Zarb-e-Azb operation till elimination of the last terrorist.

He noted with appreciation that the Quaid-e-Azam University
was imparting quality education as a leading public sector
university.

The President urged that in order to further enhance its
performance, the University should establish educational
linkages with leading international universities to take
benefit from their experience.

He also called for focusing on character building of
students, besides imparting education to them.
The President congratulated the graduating students and
also distributed medals among position holders.

ISLAMABAD, May 25 (APP): Special Assistant to the Prime
Minister on Political Affairs Dr Asif Kirmani on Wednesday said
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif believed in the
politics of promoting good norms and values and not that
of attaining power.

He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
always ensured fairplay and transparency. The corruption
was neither part of its manifesto not would be in future.

He was addressing a news conference after a ceremony in which large number of notables and leaders from Sadaat Family of Kharvo joined the PML-N, parting ways
from the Muslim Conference and Pakistan Peoples Party.

Among those who joined the PML-N included former
General Secretary of Muslim Conference Syed Mumtaz
Naqvi, President Transport Union Muzaffarabad Gulzar
Shah, Syed Alam Naqvi, Major (Retd) Khursheed Kazmi,
Faiz Ahmed Gardezi, Nazir Shah Kazmi, Syed Sakhawat
Shah and Yasir Naqvi.

Dr Kirmani congratulated them on behalf of Prime
Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for becoming part of the
PML-N, saying,”They took a right decision at the right
time.”

He said the party had great respect for the new-comers and had complete faith that they would work hard for serving the general public.

“Our heads are down with shame because of what the
political parties have done in the recently held election of the AJK Council,” he said adding that a worst kind of horse-trading was committed by the political parties.

The PML-N, Dr Kirmani said, had the honour of not
becoming part of the ugly game of horse-trading. “The
PML-N believes in serving the masses, good governance and
making the country free from corruption.”

He said general elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir were approaching fast and the PML-N was busy in public campaign for last five months from Bhimbher to Rawlakot.

Dr Kirmani expressed the confidence that the PML-N would form the new government after winning the upcoming
election with a thumping majority. “It will be the government of workers in the real term,” he added.

Commenting on the alliance of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Muslim Conference in the AJK for the elections, he said it was a clear proof of the PML-N’s popularity graph increasing day by day there.

Answering a question, the Special Assistant said that the PML-N received a record number of applications from the aspirants of party tickets.

The PML-N’s parliamentary board, he said, was scrutinizing the applications and the names of short-listed candidates would be submitted to Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif soon.

“The PML-N will award the tickets in consultation with the party leadership,” he added.

Replying to another question, he said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had given a detailed answer on the drone attack issue and it could not be called failure of the foreign policy.

The Prime Minister, he said, was presently on a private visit to the United Kingdom for a checkup and would also shed light on the issue on his return.

Dr Kirmani said the Youm-e-Takbeer workers’ convention would be held in Muzaffarabd on May 28 to commemorate the day when Pakistan became the first nuclear Islamic state.

He said the PML-N would hold functions in federal and provincial capitals of the country including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit to mark the day (in 1998) when the party leadership had made the country’s defence impregnable.

He said that the May 28 had a great significance
for the country.

On May 28, 1998, he said, Prime Minister Muhammad
Nawaz Sharif had made the country’s defence invincible
by conducting six nuclear tests in response of the five
Indian tests, setting aside all pressure.