Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Sunday said 25 years ago on May 28th, Pakistan became a nuclear power and our leader, former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, made the country’s defence invincible by detonating nuclear weapons. “Our defence has become very strong due to achieving nuclear deterrence”, he expressed while addressing the ninth convocation of a private college in Sialkot as the chief guest. Khawaja Asif said that it was a matter of pride that the daughters of our nation were going ahead to start their working life after completing their educational degrees. “I heartily congratulate all these daughters and their parents for their success. I do and pray that May Allah bless them with many successes in the future,” the Minister said. He said that it should not be the goal to get only BA, MA degree, adding, “but I advise all students to get a purposeful education because only getting a purposeful education can help us to move forward. We can deal with the challenges we are facing.” The minister said that in the present era, getting purposeful education including IT was very important because development was not possible without it. He added that political parties or political leaders were not our red line, but the soil of this country and our martyrs should be our red line, who have defended this dear country and our safety and did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for it. He said that the former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto started to make the country a nuclear power, but it was completed by the Pakistan Muslim League (N), the Pakistan Army has also played a very important role in the nuclear assets of the country. “Our Pakistan Army today is also protecting its borders as well as its nuclear assets for which we pay tribute to them.” He said that we should value our martyrs and ghazis because nations that forget their martyrs and desecrate their monuments cannot flourish. He said that the progress we saw in the country from 2013 to 2017, after 2018, was again pushed towards destruction, adding, “Which we are trying day and night to manage, but no significant success has been achieved so far. Nevertheless, we are determined that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, we will be able to take the country on the path of construction, development and prosperity very soon.” While exhorting the youth, he said that our young generation should show patience and tolerance, develop patience and respect each other’s opinion. He said that May 9th events were the worst violent form of dissent in national life, which was hardly condemned, while also targeting the very institutions that protect us. He said, “Our martyrs are our benefactors to whom we salute, thanks to the sacrifices of martyrs we are breathing in free air today, soldiers of Pakistan Army are fighting against terrorism with their lives on the palm of their hand and so we should appreciate their sacrifices.” Khawaja Asif said that it was our forces who were sacrificing their lives to provide us a peaceful life. He said that there were government employees all over the country who did not agree to be transferred from one city to another and start telling their compulsions. “But I never heard of it because these soldiers don’t have this facility, this facility is only for other government employees and they are the soldiers of our Pakistan Army who cover the borders of the country. Sacrificing their lives for defense.” At the end of his speech, he thanked the residents of Sialkot and said that since 1991 till today, the people of his city have blessed me and always honored me. He said, “I have been a Member of Parliament seven times which is a great honor for me in which the people of my city have a role after Allah Almighty and I will always be indebted to the love of the people of my city.” At the end of the ceremony, Chief Guest Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif distributed certificates and credentials to the students.