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PM supports right to freedom of speech
*Nawaz says everyone is allowed to exercise fundamental right in Pakistan *Air chief presents a memento to prime minister
Online
ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said that everyone is allowed to exercise the fundament right to freedom of speech in Pakistan, but it’s only possible through education.
Addressing the Air University convocation, he said that the education was key to social development and vital for democracy. “We want to strengthen the democratic norms in Pakistan,” he said and urged the students to sincerely play their role for the national development.
Nawaz termed education as the best investment into future, saying the government aims at developing an educational system that is compatible with the requirements of a knowledge-based economy. “Knowledge is the basic currency of the economy we are living in today and has supplanted land, labour and capital as the wealth of a nation.”
The prime minister said he was a firm believer in strengthening of the educational institutions to facilitate their role and more importantly as gateways of knowledge for the benefit of society at large. He termed education a pre-requisite for democracy. “We want to strengthen democratic norms, to be able to tolerate every opinion and to understand that everyone has the right to express,” he said.
The prime minister awarded medals to the students who got distinction in their respective disciplines. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt who is also the chairman of the Board of Governors of the university, presented a memento to the prime minister. Higher Education Commission Chairperson Dr Mukhtar Ahmed was also present in the convocation.
Earlier, Air University Vice Chancellor Dr Ijaz Ahmad Malik said the university was ranked at number seven among the country's engineering and technical universities. He highlighted the features of the university's academic programme and said the institution lays focus on research-oriented activities.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk