CM stresses need to promote religious harmony

CM mulls over various proposals on promotion of quality education

LAHORE:

Promoting religious harmony, brotherhood and tolerance is the need-of-the-hour, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday.

The chief minister made the remarks in a meeting with Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf. Sharif said the government had taken effective measures in this regard. He said religious elders and scholars had a pivotal role on this front. Sharif said every citizen had to strive to establish peace in the society.



He said that every citizen wanted terrorism to be eradicated. Sharif said those involved in shedding the blood of the innocent deserved exemplary punishments. He said victory in the war against terrorism would secure the future of the nation. The chief minister said the implementation of the National Action Plan against terrorism had been yielding positive results. He said effective measures had been taken under the plan in the Punjab. Sharif said the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan was continuing successfully. He said the armed forces had broken the back of anti-state elements there. Sharif said the nation was destined to triumph in its war against terrorism.

CM on promotion of education

The chief minister mulled over various proposals regarding the promotion of quality education and provision of modern training to instructors at a meeting today. Sharif directed officials to hasten efforts to promote quality education and teacher training. He said every citizen had the right to quality education without distinction. The chief minister said the government would strive to ensure that this right was afforded to every citizen. He said all resources needed in this regard would be provided.

The chief minister said effective measures should be taken for the promotion of quality education. Sharif ordered the formulation of a committee under the supervision of the provincial education minister and chief secretary. He said the committee should present its recommendations with regard to the promotion of quality education in seven days.



Stressing the importance of teacher training on modern lines, Sharif said it was inextricably linked to promotion of quality education. He said a comprehensive programme should be devised on this account. The chief minister said arrangements regarding the provision of teacher training should also be made at the tehsil-level. Sharif said building capacity of institutions involved in providing teacher training was the need-of-the-hour. The chief minister said the committee should present its recommendations regarding the provision of quality teacher training in 14 days.

ICC president calls on chief minister

International Cricket Council President Zaheer Abbas called on Sharif.  The two discussed ways of promoting cricket. Sharif said the government would continue to provide all facilities needed for the promotion of cricket and other sports province-wide.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2015.