SWABI, Nov 9: PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan on Friday said economic prosperity could not be achieved unless women were given due place in the society.

“If we really want to materialise our dreams of economic prosperity, then we will have to give due place to the women in the society and if we fail to do so, it might be difficult to achieve our objectives,” he said while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of GIKI Model United Nations Conference at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology on Friday.

The three-day conference is organised by the students’ Society for the Promotion of Higher Education in Pakistan, GIK Institute chapter.

The PPP leader said the great issue was that the woman was considered a problem instead of assisting and enabling her to play her constructive role for the strengthening of the society.

“When the services of the half of the country’s population are not be utilised, then how could it possible to make our dreams true,” he said.

“We must change our mindset to confront the challenges and achieve a valuable place in the comity of the nations,” he said.

Mr Ahsan said besides giving due place to women, the society should work for promoting the culture of tolerance.

“This is very vital because we have suffered and faced numerous problems owing to lack it. Tolerance is the key to put the nation on the track of progress and political stability. We should realise that where we stand right now and what possible could be taken to put our nation on a right track,” he said.

The PPP senator said the government had some problems with the judicial system of the country. He, however, didn’t elaborate on it.

He said around 2,000 educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been destroyed by militants and among them, majority was of girls.

Mr Ahsan asked how a country could progress when its educational institutions were targeted by militants and girls were stopped from going to school.

He said youths should not see the continued deteriorated situation in the country silently and must play their due role because the future belonged to them. He said the country expected a lot from its youths, who should live up to those expectations.The PPP senator said the prevailing confused environment demanded that youths come forward and help the country meet its current issues and challenges.

Rector of GIK Institute Jehangir Bashir said the UN Model Conference was a platform where students from across the country exchange their views about international issues, role of the world body and foreign policy dynamics of the different counties and their impact on the world politics.

He said the conference promoted awareness among participants of women’s role in society and also inspired them to work for peace in the country.

Pro-rector (academics) Professor Fazal Ahmad Khalid spoke about the role of the UN and appreciated the world body for preventing the third world war and resolving numerous regional and international disputes peacefully.

He also highlighted the challenges faced by the world community, especially developing countries.

He said the UN admitted that poverty generated various problems and its eradication was vital for prosperity.