Bilawal urges youth to lead change

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday highlighted Pakistan's deep-rooted health sector challenges, including food insecurity, rising maternal and child mortality, and long-standing neglect of mental health, stressing that meaningful solutions depend on the skills, energy and commitment of young doctors and health professionals.

Addressing the seventh convocation of the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), Bilawal said the medical profession was fundamentally about humanity, serving children who fall ill due to poverty, marginalised communities and those left behind by unequal access to healthcare.

He said the convocation was not merely a ceremonial event but a defining moment, as graduates were stepping into a profession that goes beyond clinical treatment and demands compassion, ethics and responsibility towards society's most vulnerable segments.

'Pakistan continues to grapple with serious issues such as maternal and child deaths, food shortages and neglected mental health concerns,' he said, adding that these challenges could only be overcome through the abilities, expertise and dedication of young doctors and healthcare workers.

Urging graduates to prioritise women, children and weaker segments of society, Bilawal said some would pursue research, others clinical practice or surgery, and some would serve abroad, but wherever they worked, service to humanity must remain their guiding principle.

He cautioned that technology without ethics is meaningless, emphasising that the future healthcare system must be patient-centred and grounded in moral responsibility rather than driven solely by innovation or efficiency.

Bilawal noted that the graduating students had been trained not only in medicine but also in key contemporary areas such as climate change, mental health and public health, describing these disciplines as essential to addressing Pakistan's evolving healthcare needs.

Referring to JSMU's legacy, he said the university carries a powerful name linked to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, symbolising discipline, integrity and national responsibility, values that medical professionals must uphold throughout their careers.

Paying tribute to parents at the close of his address, Bilawal said the achievement also belonged to them, as their sacrifices, guidance and commitment had shaped their children's character and contributed to building the nation's future.

The convocation was also attended by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Minister for Universities Ismail Rahu. Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister said the graduates were now entering a new world of healthcare.

He expressed satisfaction over JSMU's progress and growing academic stature within the province, adding that development work was under way at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and that the emergency tower would be completed during the current government's tenure.

Shah said Sindh was the only province providing even the most expensive treatments free of charge, with patients from other countries also seeking care at provincial hospitals, reflecting confidence in the health system.