Only good schools can beat extremism, says CM

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurate the first Danish School

RAHIM YAR KHAN: The promotion of quality education facilities throughout the province is the only means to fight extremism, said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday at the inauguration ceremony of a Danish School in Rahim Yar Khan.

The poor should be provided with quality education facilities on a priority basis to protect them from the propaganda of terrorists.

He said he intended to provide quality education facilities to people who could not otherwise afford it.

The chief minister said this was the purpose of the Danish School System and he was proud to inaugurate it.

The ceremony was attended by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, the ambassadors of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and officials of USAID, the World Bank,UNESCO and the Asian Development Bank.

During his address, Nawaz Sharif emphasized the urgent need to promote education. He said the challenges faced by the country could only be addressed if people from all income-levels were provided with good quality education.

Nawaz praised the chief minister for his efforts to uplift the conditions of the poor. He said Shahbaz Sharif’s vision and passion were a gift the province and the PML-N.

Earlier in the ceremony, the first batch of students admitted to the school presented tableaus and skits highlighting local heritage.

They also presented souvenirs to the guests.

The Saudi ambassador gifted his watch and tasbih to two physically-challenged students present at the ceremony. A documentary film was shown about the construction of the school building.

The event was also attended by MPAs Chaudary Muhammad Shafiq, Chaudary Ejaz Shafi, Javed Akbar Dillon, Malik Aslam and Mian Aslam; former deputy speaker Chaudary Jaffar Iqbal, MNA Begum Ishrat Ashraf, Rahim Yar Khan chamber of commerce and industry (CCI)president Mian Muhammad Imtiaz.

Throughout the ceremony, the woman host kept referring to PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif as the Punjab chief minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2011.