Staff Reporter
Begum Samina Arif Alvi, wife of President of Pakistan on Friday said children were the future of country and ensuring them free-of-cost education was vital to eradicate child labour.
“Giving the children free education can secure their future and help them move forward in challenging times,” she said in her address at the distribution ceremony of educational kits among students of Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal School for Rehabilitation of Child Labour.
Begum Alvi said every child had the right to live his childhood to the fullest and have access to school education.
“It is my dream that every child in Pakistan grows up educated and no one should be left behind due to lack of funds,” she said.
Begum Alvi said the government was providing free books, uniforms, stationery and daily Rs. 10 to every child, Rs. 300 per month to their parents and Rs. 4,100 on completion of their classes.
She said the government was taking steps to develop weaker sections and lift them out of poverty by providing them social security under the umbrella of the Ehsaas programme.
Begum Alvi appreciated the diplomatic community in Pakistan for joining the endeavor to eradicate child labour and arranging gifts for 240 children.
Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal Zaheer Abbas Khokhar briefed about the working of PBM and said the organization was focused on pursuing the vision of uplift of weaker segments.
Wife of Turkish ambassador, Zlatomira Yurdakul on the occasion appreciated the initiatives of Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal for eradicating child labour.
The wives of ambassadors of Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh also attended the event.
Later, Begum Samina Alvi handed over educational kits to teachers for their distribution among students.
