ISLAMABAD / HARI­PUR: Stressing the importance of taking all federating units along, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said natio­nal progress could only be achieved when every reg­i­on was uplifted and provided equal opportunities.

“Whether it’s the laptops or the 1,000 students trained in agriculture, or even the 600 students I sent to China during my tenure as the chief minister of Punjab, it is my firm belief that Pakistan’s development does not rely on any single province. It depends on holistic development,” he said at a ceremony at the University of Haripur, where he distributed 500 laptops among students of different universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

On the occasion, PM She­h­baz shared his vision of empowering Pakistan’s you­th, stressing the importance of providing them with opportunities based on their capabilities to gain global recognition. “The future of this nation lies in the hands of our students, who are not just bri­l­liant but capable enough to conquer the world,” he said.

The prime minister also honoured the people of KP and the Hazara division for their resilience in the face of terrorism and ongoing security challenges. He paid tribute to the police, law enforcement agencies and the armed forces for their sacrifices in securing the nation.

During his address, the prime minister also referred to the May conflict with India, saying New Delhi would not forget the setback it faced at the hands of Pak­i­s­tan’s armed forces during “Marka-i-Haq”.

“That was a punch in the face for Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said, while praising the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as brave and patriotic. He said the province’s people, along with civil and military forces, had made unforgettable sacrifices for the country.

Economic challenges

The prime minister also shed light on other challenges facing the nation, particularly the state of the economy and the need for skill development. He touched upon the importance of modern skills in sectors like IT, agriculture and mining, stressing the need to bridge the gap between the youth’s capabilities and the industry’s demands.

“We have pulled the economy back from the brink of default, and now it is time to boost growth,” he said, adding that the government planned to send delegations from all provinces to China for training in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

Earlier, newly elected MNA from Haripur Babar Nawaz highlighted the issues faced by the constituency, particularly in education and development. He said many girls were unable to pursue higher education in co-educational institutions due to cultural constraints and requested the establishment of a women’s campus at Haripur University.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam also addressed the ceremony and praised the prime minister’s outreach to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Hazara, saying the region valued the government’s initiatives.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2025