Malala Day: ‘Governments should spend more on education’

Political parties advised to live up to campaign promises.

LAHORE:

South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) Secretary General Imtiaz Alam said on Friday Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had not fulfilled its promise to spend 5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on education. He urged the PML-N to honour its commitment.

Addressing a seminar on Malala Day, Alam said under Article 25-A of the Constitution school education was a responsibility of the state to provide education.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-i -Insaf (PTI) had promised to spend 6 percent of GDP on education.

“The PTI too should honour its commitment,” he said.

He said Taiban had only brought shame to Pakistan by bombing schools, mosques and shrines.



“Those who bomb schools and shrines are not Muslims. Malala is addressing the children of the world in United Nation’s Youth Assembly which is an acknowledgement of her resistance against the enemies of girl’s education,” he said.

Alam said it was a shame that 25 million children in Pakistan were out of schools. He said these children should be enrolled and admitted to schools by 2015.

Provincial Assembly Member Azma Bokhari paid tribute to Malala and said she represented a new image of Pakistan to the world.

“She told the world that a little girl in can stand against armed Taliban and make a difference,” Bokhari said.

Children from several schools were invited to the ceremony.

They read poetry to pay tributes to Malala. A cake was also cut to celebrate Malala’s birthday.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2013.