Lavish ceremonies for laptops

ISLAMABAD: The distribution of free laptops among talented students of Punjab has been accompanied by lavish ceremonies and publicity campaigns involving the placing of banners on main roads, as well as advertisements on the print and electronic media. While credit must go the Punjab government for trying to empower the youth of the province with modern technology, I fail to understand the need for spending huge sums on the massive laptop-giving away ceremonies and the publicity campaigns.

In my opinion, the Punjab government is not doing anyone a favour by distributing laptops to students but is only fulfilling its responsibility. It is my humble request that the taxpayers’ money is not wasted in such frivolity and the laptops be distributed to the students without unnecessary fanfare.

Aslam Mumtaz

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2012.