Our Correspondent
Swat: Federal Minister for Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON, and President Pakistan Muslim League (N) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Engineer Amir Muqam, has said that the Prime Minister Laptop Scheme is a historic and visionary initiative to empower youth on merit, while women’s education remains one of the top priorities of the government.
He expressed these views while addressing a ceremony at the University of Swat, held for the distribution of laptops under the Prime Minister Laptop Scheme and the formal inauguration of the new Women’s Campus.
Engineer Amir Muqam formally inaugurated the modern Women’s Campus, constructed at a cost of Rs1.3 billion, a project announced by former Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. He said the completion of the campus reflects Nawaz Sharif’s vision to promote higher education and provide quality facilities, especially for female students.
The federal minister recalled that during Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Swat in 2016, university campuses in Swabi and Shangla were approved. He expressed pleasure over distributing laptops to students in Swat for the second time, noting that the scheme was initiated by Mian Shahbaz Sharif and is now being successfully continued by Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif after its suspension in 2018.
Engineer Amir Muqam stated that over one million students nationwide have benefited from the laptop scheme. He said a laptop is not merely a device but a gateway to modern education, research, and technology. He added that the federal government is ready to contribute 50 percent to educational projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and emphasized merit-based distribution of laptops and opportunities for higher education and research abroad.
Highlighting the sacrifices of the people and security forces in Swat and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the minister said peace was restored through collective efforts. He praised Pashtun youth for their talent and capability, stressing that students are the intellectual capital of the nation, not merely slogan-raisers.
Engineer Amir Muqam also shared personal reflections, emphasizing resilience, sincerity, and service to the people. He underscored the need for an auditorium, sports grounds, gyms, and other facilities at the university and pledged to raise his voice for their provision.
Earlier, Vice-Chancellor University of Swat, Hassan Sher, and faculty members warmly welcomed the federal minister and briefed him on the university’s progress. Engineer Amir Muqam also planted a tree at the new Women’s Campus. Local PML-N leaders, former ministers, and a large number of students and dignitaries attended the ceremony.
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