Knowledge economy: Youth’s role in development stressed

HEC to provide internet throughout university campuses in two years

Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that the government was focusing on educating youth to pursue the long term vision of development and progress in the country.

Delivering a talk on “Democracy, Development and Role of Youth” at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), he said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) launched their protests at a time when China was about to bring a direct foreign investment of $45 billion to Pakistan’s energy and infrastructure sectors.

He said China would invest $34 billion in energy generation and transmission and $11 billion in building infrastructure in Pakistan over the next three to four years. He plan, he said, would make Pakistan self-sufficient in energy.

“Energy crisis has reduced manufacturing capacity of the country, resulting in job losses and poverty. The government has succeeded in completing LNG terminal in Pakistan and from the early next year gas supply from the facility would run into the system,” said the minister.

The planning minister said Pakistan should live in peace with all its neighbours and should not interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, which is a big market for Pakistan. He said even India had become a loser after its recent aggressive posture against Pakistan.

The government, he said, was pursuing five basic prerequisites for translating growth into development, which included political stability, right economic agenda, investing in human resource, avoiding conflicts and enabling technological solutions.

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Mukhart Ahmed said the commission has a plan to provide internet connectivity throughout campuses across Pakistan.

SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qayium Suleri said depoliticising the youth by banning student unions had played a negative role in building political diaspora. “The present situation and environment is not ideal for our youth. They must be harnessed for a positive change.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2014.