The country is battling with difficult economic challenges, but these will not deter it from its core responsibility of education and women empowerment, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Friday. Speaking at the convocation of the Fatima Jinnah Women University here, the Prime Minister said that national progress was linked with education and the government would provide financial resources for the expansion of the university's campus to set up more faculties despite fiscal constraints.

He said that research-based education system was necessary to put the country on the path of economic development. The Prime Minister said that the youth, particularly the young women, had an important role to play in national development.

Highlighting the rapid development of digital technology, the prime minister urged Pakistani students to use information technology for learning and education. Praising Malala Yousafzai's education activism, he said that the country's youth should gain expertise in the field of agriculture and science and technology. Recounting steps taken by Pakistan Peoples Party leaders, especially Benazir Bhutto and Nusrat Bhutto, he said that the party had gotten more than 24 bills for women rights approved from the National Assembly during the two tenures of Benazir Bhutto governments.

He congratulated the vice-chancellor of the university for playing an important role in the field of education. The university's Chancellor, Latif Khosa, and Vice Chancellor also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, Prime Minister distributed medals among graduating students in PhDs and MPhils. Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira also attended the function.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012