Hafiz Naeem urges govt to fulfil educational duties

KARACHI:

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday asserted that providing education was the government's responsibility, lamenting that despite a multi-billion budget, the authorities failed to fulfil their duties.

Addressing thousands of students at aptitude tests held at Sangam Ground, Federal B Area, and Eidgah Ground, Gulshan-e-Maymar, the JI emir criticised the government for making education increasingly inaccessible for the middle and lower classes.

"Our nation of 250 million has been held hostage by oppressive rulers who have seized the country's wealth," he said. "Rise, move forward, and make Pakistan proud".

Hafiz Naeem highlighted Jamaat-e-Islami's Bano Qabil project, which has already provided over 50,000 students with free IT courses, promising to facilitate degrees and employment opportunities.

"Bano Qabil 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 have been completed, and in Bano Qabil 4.0, we aim to train 50,000 more young people," he said, adding that state-of-the-art offices will be established across Pakistan following Karachi.

An upcoming major educational programme will be hosted in Lahore on November 7, to provide courses to one million youth over the next two years.

During the event, participants took a one-hour written test, and successful students will receive training in web development, design, digital marketing, Amazon skills, and more, all free of charge.

Hafiz Naeem Rehman congratulated the youth for embracing IT skills, stressing the immense potential within Pakistan.

"Our country is blessed with abundant resources, but a few have monopolised them," he remarked, condemning unjust agreements like those with Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

Encouraging the youth to work hard domestically rather than migrating abroad, he said, "If our youth put in half the effort here, Pakistan will prosper".