Media plays vital role in strengthening democracy: Marriyum | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Media plays vital role in strengthening democracy: Marriyum

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage has said that media has played a very positive role in strengthening democracy in the country and she was sanguine that it would continue to traverse the same course to highlight the positive image of progressive and prosperous Pakistan.

She was talking to the representatives of media at the Gold Medal Awarding Ceremony here at the Pakistan Ideology Council on Monday.

Addressing the ceremony, Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Pakistan has completed 70 years of its independence during the current year and it was imperative for the younger generation to be aware of the struggle of those who have given sacrifices and spilled their blood for Pakistan during those years. The youth comprise 62 per cent of the population of the country and if they remained unaware of the sacrifices of their ancestors they would not be able to serve their country in a better way.

The minister informed the audience that PTV and Radio Pakistan would present programmes on the events and journey towards the achievement of Pakistan between 18 March 1940 and 1947 as well as the sacrifices rendered for the cause of Pakistan, which is designed to create awareness among the younger generation about the freedom struggle. During these telecasts and broadcasts befitting tribute will be paid to the business community, sportsmen, artists and those people who offered sacrifices for the motherland and played a role in highlighting the identity of Pakistan.

The minister told the media men that the people were witnessing the emergence of a terror-free, progressing, healthy, and educated and rising Pakistan under the stewardship of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and those who were taking umbrage at these developments only for the sake of it, would have to eat dust.

The process of development and prosperity unleashed in the country would continue unhindered as it was indispensable for fulfilling the objectives of the creation of Pakistan and realization of the vision of its founding father.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has set new and rare tradition of serving the masses during the last three and half years and serving the people was his top priority. The Prime Minister is striving hard to change the fate of the people at all levels. He has been visiting different parts of the country during the last three and half years and now he will go to the areas and provinces which he could not cover earlier, to monitor the implementation of the projects for the welfare of the people and the causes of delay in their initiation, she added.

The minister said that during the last three and half years the three times elected Prime has implemented epoch making projects and history was witness to the fact that during the last 40-50 years no such efforts were made. She said that the negative mindset in every sphere of the national life is approaching its logical destination and the time had come to guide the people and to channelize their thinking towards a positive direction.

The minister said that the country was confronted with a formidable challenge from the terrorists and during 2013 the terrorists carried out 2450 acts of terrorism, however, as a consequence of sagacious and far-sighted policies of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the phenomenon of terrorism has been checked in its tracks and the number of terrorist acts has come down to 160.

She said, “The fight against the terrorists continues and more successes against them will be achieved.

Marriyum said that similarly the energy crisis was also being tackled and as a result of the efforts of the government the duration of load-shedding has been brought down to 4-5 hours per day from 16-17 hours. The industry of Pakistan is witnessing ‘Zero’ load-shedding for past two years.

Recounting other achievements of the government and the steps that it was taking for the well-being of the people, the minister said that for the first time in the history of Pakistan health insurance programme on the national level has been initiated under which the government would ensure free treatment for the people; the reforms in the education sector, which had remained neglected during the past 50 years, are achieving their targets successfully; a network of motorways is being built to improve infrastructure and squeeze distances; people are evincing great interest in youth programmes of the Prime Minister and the male and female students were greatly benefiting from the fee reimbursement and scholarship schemes.

The minister said that CPEC would prove to be a game-changer in the region as it had the potential to trigger exponential increase in the economic activity and creation of new job opportunities for the youth. She observed that bulk of the media was also monitoring the mega-project. The minister concluded her interaction with media by saying that the next national elections would be held on time.

The ceremony was attended by Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, Chairman Pakistan Ideology Trust Dr Naeem Ghani, Senior Vice President Mian Muhammad Javed, Executive Secretary Gohar Zahid Malik, members of the Council, men and women nominated for the award of gold medals and a great number of male and female students.—APP

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