‘Bar on free exchange of ideas unacceptable’

Students will be helped in pursuing research, academic interests: Rafique.

LAHORE: The government will not accept any ban on free exchange of ideas at universities, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Friday.

He was speaking at a laptop distribution ceremony at the Punjab University.

Rafique assured the students in attendance that the government would facilitate them in pursuing their research and academic interests. He said he believed that autocracy had to be condemned and resisted in all aspects of life.

Rafique also assured the university administration of support in improving education standards and academic discipline on the campus.

He appreciated the efforts of PU Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran in managing the affairs of the university.

Economic Corridor

He also talked about the recent agreement between Pakistan and China and said that the completion of the Pak-China Economic Corridor would transform the country’s fortunes.

He said 80 percent of the $45 billion would come in the form of direct investment from China.

He said the power generation projects signed by the two countries would help add 10,000 megawatt of electricity to the national grid by December 2017.

He said Pakistan Railways would generate Rs8.5 billion in revenue this year.

This, he said, was almost double the previous year’s revenue of around Rs4.5 billion.

Rafique said he had put an end to political interference in the administration of the Pakistan Railways.

He said the country saw its role in the Yemen crisis as that of a facilitator. However, he added, Pakistan would protect Saudi Arabia’s territorial sovereignty.

He said that Pakistan would not follow another country’s dictation on Yemen crisis. HEC Chairman Mukhtar Ahmed thanked the government for release of funds from the previous year. He said he hoped the government would increase funding for the education sector in the budget for the next fiscal year.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2015.