PM Shehbaz links national strength to youth education, technology and hard work

WEB DESK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the entire nation, including the people of Kashmir, stood united in prayer for Pakistan’s armed forces during the conflict with India, adding that the military had given India a lesson it would not forget.

Addressing an event, the prime minister said Pakistan and Kashmir would be made great on the world map and reiterated his belief that the day would come when occupied Kashmir would be free. He stressed that Pakistan’s progress and prosperity required tireless effort, saying hard work, day and night, was the only path to national greatness.

Emphasising youth empowerment, PM Shehbaz said ability and determination were not limited by physical challenges and announced the approval of four Danish schools in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He said the government was giving special attention to the education and training of young people, with a focus on equipping them with modern education and technology.

Defending the laptop scheme, the prime minister recalled that it had faced criticism in the past, with opponents alleging it was a form of bribery. He rejected those claims, saying former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had distributed hundreds of thousands of laptops purely on merit, without favouritism.

“A laptop is not just a machine; it represents a vision,” he said, describing the scheme as part of a broader strategy for a bright and prosperous future for Pakistan.

Reflecting on history, PM Shehbaz said millions of people had crossed rivers of blood during the Partition of the subcontinent in pursuit of their dreams, and that immense sacrifices had been made for Pakistan’s development, dignity and stability.

He said the laptop scheme was not merely a programme but a symbol of Pakistan’s long-term vision, aimed at building a strong, educated and technologically advanced nation.