Lahore (Web Desk): Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has called for stronger opportunities, better systems and greater institutional support for Pakistan’s youth, saying the country is rich in talent but needs to create the right environment for young people to turn their potential into meaningful contributions to national development.
Addressing the APSUP Excellence Awards 2026 ceremony, the Punjab governor said Pakistan’s young generation had demonstrated exceptional abilities, particularly in the field of information technology, and stressed that providing them with proper platforms and opportunities was essential to securing the country’s future.
He praised Professor Dr Chaudhry Abdul Rehman for his continued efforts, saying that, as in previous years, he had once again organised a successful event and brought prominent figures from the education sector together on a single platform.
Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said he was attending the ceremony as a politician, whereas the vice chancellors and rectors present had four to five decades of experience in the education sector.
He also appreciated the views shared by Dr Niaz and Dr Iqrar, noting that vice chancellors and rectors were making valuable contributions to the promotion of education in their respective institutions.
The Punjab governor said the country was gradually improving, but much more needed to be done. He stressed that the longstanding gap between universities and industry must be addressed, urging educationists and industry representatives to work together to determine the skills and expertise required by employers.
Referring to Operation Bunyan-al-Marsoos, Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said Pakistan’s young IT professionals had defeated India, an achievement that had surprised the international community.
He said he was still unaware of the university from which those talented young people had graduated.
The Punjab governor said approximately 80 per cent of the cases brought to him involved doctors who had left Pakistan for other countries and failed to return. He described the trend as a major weakness in the system and said it required serious attention.
He also acknowledged the presence of highly capable vice chancellors in Pakistan who had successfully developed their institutions, but pointed out that public-sector universities continued to struggle with inadequate funding.
Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said education was not being given the priority it deserved, despite the need to place it at the centre of national development.
The Punjab governor said Allah had blessed him with respect because of Pakistan and expressed his desire to see substantial progress in the country’s education and healthcare sectors.