–Says people faced harsh times in 2019 due to ‘corrective measures’ adopted by govt, country on path of growth now
–Says previous govts’ vision of making Pakistan ‘Asian Tiger’ was limited, ‘Medina-like state reflective of a better thought’
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday admitted that the nation had to face harsh times in 2019 due to the ‘corrective measures’ undertaken by the government to recover the economy, but expressed the hope that the year 2020 will help take Pakistan forward.
“The vision of the previous governments of making Pakistan an ‘Asian Tiger’ was a small vision and that turning the country into a model state like Medina is reflective of a better thought,” PM Imran said while addressing a ceremony celebrating the laying of the foundation of a new campus of the Air University.
Imran talked at length about the economic policies of his government, noting that the rupee was about to crash when the Pakistan Tehreek-a-Insaf (PTI) came into power and corrective measures were needed.
“[Due to corrective measures] they had an effect on the common man of the country as the price of petrol, diesel and other necessities increased,” the premier said in reference to the inflation in Pakistan.
“I am optimistic and I am sure that 2020 will take Pakistan forward,” he immediately added, attempting to reassure the students that the problems were only temporary and solvable in the long run.
Addressing the students studying at the university, the prime minister said that students needed to dream big and realise their potential. He noted that those who dreamed big went a long way in life.
“My life experience tells me humans have been given the power to turn into reality whatever they can picture. Mankind is the best of creations (ashraf-ul-makhluqaat),” the premier said on the occasion.
“We live all our lives without realizing our potential. We do not dream. We are afraid of dreaming big and going after big things,” the premier lamented, in a bid to motivate the students present at the ceremony.
“Do not be afraid of dreaming big,” he said.
“Education is a scared duty. We [people of Pakistan] have to move towards understanding that,” the premier noted, adding that education was also the vision of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).
PM Imran lauded the efforts made by the administration of the university for the new campus, saying that the new establishment would be a campus of the ‘space age’.
“The vision for a person determines how far he/she will go in life. Nations also have visions, and unfortunately, previous leaders had a vision that Pakistan would become an Asian Tiger,” PM Imran said, apparently in reference to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.
“It is a small vision. In my vision, I dreamed of making Pakistan a welfare state like Medina. My vision is based on the lessons of history, and there is a reason we should learn from history,” he remarked.
“Pensions were started first in the state of Medina,” PM Imran noted, adding that the rule of law, humanitarian principles and education were the basis of the welfare state of Medina.
