SWABI: Governor Ghulam Ali has said educated youth, including girls, should become engine of social and economic change as the country badly needs their services at present critical juncture.

He was addressing the second convocation of Women University Swabi (WUS) as chief guest here on Tuesday. “We have to understand the challenges of the 21st century and must face them with determination,” he added.

About the economic crisis, he said that the country, especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, could not achieve the desired level of development owing to failure of previous government.

“I am confident that educated youth will respond positively and become agents of progress and prosperity of their motherland,” he said. He advised students to fulfil their responsibilities by focusing on their studies.

The governor, who is also chancellor of the public sector universities in the province, said that education was the fundamental right of every citizen of the country including women. “Unfortunately gender discrepancies still exist in the education sector,” he added.

Ghulam Ali confers degrees on 609 graduates at Swabi women varsity convocation

He said that convocation was a day of celebration but the graduates should look back at many challenges they overcame and look forward at others lying ahead. “You must have the knowledge and skills to meet the challenges. It is the contemporary knowledge, which enables you to do what seems impossible,” he told the students.

The governor said that the women university initiated market-oriented degree programmes in the field of allied health sciences that were specially designed to accomplish the vision of women empowerment through modern education.

He said that suicide bombing in a mosque at police lines in Peshawar on Monday was one of the tragic incidents in the history of the province.

“Those, who are no longer among us, have sacrificed their lives for the defence of the motherland and due to their tremendous contribution they would be remembered forever. I salute them and pay homage to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police. “The sacrifices of police will be written with golden words by historians,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice-chancellor Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi said that the graduates should know the inevitable and perpetual changes around them and the new opportunities. “Always remain open to new possibilities. Graduation never means to say goodbye to learning. We hope that you will remain connected in some way with your alma mater,” she told the graduates.

The governor conferred degrees on 609 graduates and awarded gold medals to outstanding students.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023