Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged both the state and parents to protect, promote, educate and train children into the greatest asset for our nation.

In his message on the eve of Universal Children’s Day being observed today, the PPP chairman said that his party had always taken revolutionary steps for the protection of children and also launched anti-polio and other preventive vaccination campaigns in the country. “Sindh under PPP government is the only province where education up to intermediate is completely free and the provincial government bears registration, enrolment and examination fees,” he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said there was a strong need to improve health and education facilities for children all over the country. “Every Pakistani has to play their role to provide the best environment for children to grow into responsible citizens,” he added. He further said more legislative initiatives will be taken in that regard and PPP’s manifesto for 2018 general elections will also encompass key practical steps for the welfare and betterment of children.

Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated city’s infamous Jahangir Park after renovation on Sunday.

Speaking at the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said the inauguration of renovated Jahangir Park would honour late Behramjee, and now it was up to all of us to take care of the park by maintaining its beauty.

Shah said that Saddar was the heart of Karachi and Jahangir Park was located at its centre.

Spreading over five acres of land, the park has an amphitheatre, a bird aviary, a dinosaur park and a library.

It also houses reverse osmosis plants having a capacity of 50 MGD each. One plant has been dedicated for drinking purposes of the visitors and residents of nearby areas may also benefit from the plant, it was said. Another plant will be used to water the lawn, trees, plants and flowers at the park.

The recreational area has its own security system as CCTV cameras have been installed with a command and control centre. The CCTV cameras would also monitor the vicinity around the park.

Entry into the park will be free for public for two weeks, however, the administration would later decide on fixing nominal charges for the visitors.

The Sindh government through the Planning & Development Department would maintain the park for the next two years.

It may be noted that the land where Jahangir Park is established was donated by Khan Bahadur Behramjee Jehangirjee Rajkotwala in 1893.

A park established on the land was named as Behramjee Bagh, which was inaugurated on the eve of Nowruz in 1883. However, later it became popular as Jahangir Park.

Published in Daily Times, November 20^th 2017.