LAHORE: Punjab Education and Youth Minister Rana Mashhood said on Thursday Pakistan`s peace and prosperity was linked to youth and their volunteerism.
The minister said this at a ceremony to mark the International Volunteers Day by Bargad, a youth development NGO, with the Punjab government and Umeed Jawan at the Punjab Institute of Language and Culture. Hundreds of students and youth working as volunteer in different sectors and with differentorganisations participated in the celebrations.
The minister urged the youth to live with the difference of opinion in a tolerant and peaceful way. He said volunteerism could make the image of Pakistan better and promote peace and welfare. Because of NGOs and media, he said, awareness in society was being raised at larger scale. He said the Punjab government would make plans to organise and train volunteers in dif ferent fields.
He said youth and volunteers had right on the state resources and they should hold every government accountable and set examplesfor the governments through their volunteerism.
Bargad Executive Director Sabiha Shaheen said the country had huge potential in its youth which needed to be better organised and guidance to work for the betterment of society. She urged federal and provincial governments to make programmes for volunteers atlocallevel.
She said she was grateful to the Punjab government for cooperation in focusing on constructive activities for the youth. She said this tremendous potential of youth needed to be diverted to work for the welfare of society in disasterand crises.
Umeed Jawan director Abdul Saboor said Pakistan had a unique kind of volunteerism history. He stressed the need to organise this volunteerism and respective governments should do in this connection.
He said this effort to organise and train volunteers was need of the hour to make Pakistan peaceful land.
Mr Mashhood distributed awards and certificates to the selected volunteers coming from different parts of Pakistan, GilgitBaltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The volunteers also participated in cultural activities and musical performances.
