Gilani for defeating terrorism through best ideas
LAHORE, Nov 12 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said that terrorism and extremism were actually the war of ideas, which could effectively be defeated through best ideas.He was addressing the Aitchison College’s 125th Founder Day ceremony, which was attended by Punjab Governor and ACBoG (Board of Governors) President Sardar Latif Khan Khosa, Federal Information Technology  Minister, AC Principal Faqir Ejazuddin, headmasters of Aitchison schools, board members, AC Alumnae Association’s members, diplomats, students and parents. The Prime Minister said the Pakistani nation was confronted with the menace of terrorism and extremism and added,”It is not mere a physical fight rather it’s a battle of ideas, and to eliminate terrorism and extremism, we need to defeat the idea, which generates image in the first stage.”
Gilani stressed upon the intellectuals, religious scholars, academia, students and all other segments of society to come forward and play their due role in this regard. “An inferior idea can be killed by a superior idea,” he quoted Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed.
 In this context, he added, it was incumbent upon the teachers of educational institutions, including the Aitchison College (AC), to eliminate terrorism and extremism by inculcating the idea of brotherhood, love, peace and harmony in the students.
 The Prime Minister said,”The world is facing many challenges, which can not only reset our direction but also impact our future. It is a complex world defined by the forces of change and evolution, and only those nations and individuals can compete in this high tech environment that have done their homework well in advance and learn knowledge in the pivot of progress and development.”
 In today’s globalized world, the knowledge has been acknowledged as an angel of growth and development, for which educational institutions must have to become the hub of research and creative activity, he added.
 Gilani said,”The staggering development in science and technology (S&T) has stunned the human psyche, and we have to focus on S&T education promotion and human resource development to ensure socio-economic uplift of the  country.”
After the Chinese example, he said, the population should not be considered as a burden any more. “Pakistan’s demographic potential is huge, especially the youth, but we need to harness the energy of the youth and put them into productive use for timely policy intervention and sustained political support,” he maintained.
 The Prime Minister said the government was focusing on linkage between educational institutions and job market and industry-academia collaboration to produce future leaders having vision to cope with arising challenges.
 After the 18th Amendment, the education has become a provincial subject, he said and added that the Federal Government in consultation with the provinces and other stakeholders, prepared the National Educational Policy 2009 under which each province would chalk out its own action plan for promotion of education. The policy also focuses on UNICEF programme of Education For All, making the primary education compulsory, ensuring gender equality and bridging the educational gap between the rural and urban areas, he said.
 The Prime Minister also congratulated the AC management, faculty and students on the festive occasion. He said the institution since its inception had lived up to its reputation and over a period of 125 years, the college had undoubtedly produced leaders, who had set up a high bench-mark of success and showed outstanding performance.
He said the Aitchisonians were playing a leading role in the community development and national integration. That was why the AC had come to be recognised as the model of excellence, integrity and compassion.
 The Prime Minister advised the students to keep hope and optimism as their idea, and turn the difficulties into opportunities. “You have to keep pace with the demands of the time and prepare yourself for future leadership role,” he added.
 Earlier, the Prime Minister also gave away prizes and shields to the position holder students in various academic and co-curricular activities.