Seminar: ‘Independence is about democracy, strong economy’

ISLAMABAD:

Independence is not about having a separate state. It is about having a strong economy with strong democratic forces that give real power to the people without foreign dependence.

This was the consensus among writers, poets and intellectuals who gathered at the Pakistan Academy of Letters for a seminar in connection to Independence Day on Monday.

Professor Dr Khawaja Muhammad Zakaria, Head of Urdu Academy, was the chief guest on the occasion.

The professor, who paid tributes to the country’s founding fathers, criticised the imposition of martial law in the country.

“Before 1958 Pakistan’s economy was moving steadily and in the right direction. However, Ayub Khan initiated an era of development on foreign loans which pushed the country into a crisis that is still being faced today,” he said.

He emphasised on the youth to play a proactive role in bringing a positive change and stressed on increasing the education budget from two per cent to four per cent.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2012.