LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Higher Education Syed Raza Ali Gillani has advised students to learn foreign languages to fully exploit economic opportunities in the wake of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Addressing a 22-member delegation of students belonging to Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during an event on Sunday at the Punjab University, the minister said the CPEC would benefit Gawadar as several new educational and healthcare projects would be initiated in Balochistan to help raise the quality of life there.The 22-member delegation is on a visit to the Punjab University. The event was organised by a non-governmental organisation working for education of the needy children. Several male and female Balochistan-domiciled students, enrolled in the Punjab University, also attended the event. The minister said that the Punjab government had promoted the passion of inter-provincial harmony in the youth by extending gratis educational facilities to students belonging to other provinces. “This has given a strong message of hope and trust to students of federating units enabling them to excel in their lives.” Gillani said that the students from Balochistan had been extended lifetime opportunity by the Punjab government to grow up and excel by getting free education in higher education institutions in Punjab. “The Punjab government has also extended educational scholarships to the financially-challenged youth of other federating units so that they can continue their higher studies without being burdened. We want that the youth of all the provinces should educate and prosper; and for that purpose, we have provided equitable educational opportunities to them,” he added. He asked students to learn foreign languages to exploit emerging economic opportunities in the wake of the CPEC-related projects, and added that the Punjab government had started providing scholarships to students for studying foreign languages abroad. “The CPEC is a mega project which has opened many new economic opportunities for the youth so they should be ready to reap the benefits by empowering themselves with the necessary talent.” The minister observed that the students’ exchange programme would help the people to understand each other; “and this would strengthen the spirit of federation”. Students also spoke on the occasion and thanked the Punjab government for extending educational opportunities to students of federating units.