Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said Pakistan could be put on the path of development and prosperity by promoting the rule of law, democracy, provision of basic human rights, eradication of social injustices and poverty.
Addressing the flag-hoisting ceremony held here in connection with the 76th Independence Day, the president expressed the hope that Pakistan would soon become a prosperous and developing country by following all the basic rules and guidance given by the founder of Pakistan Quid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
He said Quid-i-Azam always discouraged nepotism and voiced for the promotion of merit, unity, socio-economic justice, and poverty alleviation. He said Pakistan got independence in 1947 because of the long struggle of Quid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and other founding leaders, and the sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of people. He said the country’s armed forces, police and the public were still sacrificing their lives for the country’s security as over 100,000 people had rendered their lives in the war against terrorism.
The president said the aim of Pakistan’s independence was the establishment of an independent state for the Muslims of the subcontinent to live their lives according to Islamic principles.
The president paid the heartiest tributes to the founders of Pakistan who struggled for independence of Pakistan and the hundreds of thousands of people who embraced martyrdom for Pakistan.
President Alvi stressed the elite of the country to take responsibility for poverty alleviation and promotion of education and health, which he said were inter-connected with each other. He said currently 27 million children were out of school across the country and needed to enrol in schools.
He stressed that every child should be enrolled in school which could only be possible through resources. He said everybody should pay his or her due tax so that the government could get more resources to provide maximum facilities to the people.
