Bano Qabil programme is a 'game changer': JI chief

Over 10,000 students graduated at annual convocation as programme expands to 70 cities

KARACHI:

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday described the Alkhidmat Foundation's Bano Qabil initiative as a "game changer", saying Pakistan's future depended on an "education operation" rather than any other kind of operation.

Addressing the fourth annual Bano Qabil convocation at the UBL Sports Complex, where more than 10,000 students received certificates after completing various IT and professional training courses, he said providing free and quality education was both a constitutional obligation of the state and a fundamental right of citizens.

He said Pakistan's youth possessed immense potential, particularly in the information technology sector, and urged them to play their role in strengthening the country's economy. "Pakistan belongs to its people, not to rulers or generals," he said, adding that the Bano Qabil programme had been launched solely to benefit young people and not for any personal gain.

Naeemur Rehman said the convocation was the largest graduation ceremony of its kind in the country's history and said the programme was open to students from minority communities as well. He also announced plans to establish an IT university in the near future.

Criticising the state of public education, he said Karachi had around 3,500 government schools, none of which provided quality education, while successive governments had failed to utilise education budgets effectively. He alleged that large sums allocated for education were squandered by the ruling elite.

Referring to Sindh's political landscape, the JI chief said the Pakistan Peoples Party had remained in power in the province for nearly five decades but had failed to improve education and employment opportunities. He also criticised what he described as attempts to divide people along ethnic, linguistic and regional lines, urging citizens to remain united.

He said around 27.5 million children across Pakistan remained out of school and vowed to raise the issue more forcefully. He also questioned education policies in Punjab, claiming that more than 11 million children there were out of school and alleging that thousands of public schools were being put up for sale.

He encouraged graduates to use their newly acquired skills to train others, urging young people to uphold Islamic values, respect their parents and remain optimistic about Pakistan's future.

Speaking on the occasion, Alkhidmat Foundation Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Bano Qabil Pakistan Naveed Ali Baig said the initiative, launched in 2021, had expanded significantly from offering three to four courses to providing 30 courses under its latest phase.

He said more than 1.6 million young people had registered for the programme, which now operated in 70 cities across Pakistan. He said many graduates had entered freelancing and other IT-related professions.

Baig said Pakistan's IT exports had increased by $4.6 million, adding that Bano Qabil had contributed to that growth. He also said a job fair featuring 35 to 40 IT companies had been organised alongside the convocation to connect graduates with potential employers.

He announced that the programme had partnered with Alibaba to introduce new training courses and scholarships, including cash awards of up to Rs60,000 for participants.