LAHORE: Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Dr Hassan Askari has said the youth can be mobilised towards economic empowerment through technical education and added that establishment of quality technical and engineering institutions in the province is imperative and German cooperation would be welcomed in this regard. He stated this while talking to German Ambassador to Pakistan Martin Kobler at his office on Wednesday. On the occasion, different matters of mutual interest were discussed. The German ambassador congratulated Dr Hassan Askari over becoming the caretaker chief minister Punjab and expressed good wishes for him. CM Hassan Askari appreciated the German role in giving better access to Pakistan in European markets. He said a good number of German companies are working in Pakistan but there is a need to further enhance the trade volume between Pakistan and Germany. Punjab and the whole of Pakistan are fully safe and secure for foreign investments. He said youth is the 60 percent of the total population and they can be made economically self-reliant through market-based technical education and skills. Technical training of the youth is an important step towards building a stable Pakistan, he added. In fact, establishment of technical and engineering educational institutions in Punjab in collaboration with Germany is need of the hour. The caretaker CM said that Germany is leading the world in the field of technical and engineering education and its supremacy in these fields is a worth-following phenomenon. German technical and engineering institutes provide opportunities of quality research and education; he said and added that German technical collaboration in the field of skills development will be welcomed. Hassan Askari said that constitutional responsibilities will be performed within the framework of election commission. He said the police and other law enforcement agencies will perform security duties during the elections and added that provision of security and a peaceful atmosphere to the people is our strong commitment. “We are giving special attention to the provision of necessary facilities to the polling stations to be set up in the schools and ongoing projects will be got completed in the province according to the given mandate,” he said, adding that he has been attached with the teaching profession for the last many decades and the post of the caretaker CM is the best blend of theory and practical. The German ambassador said that model of the caretaker government during the elections is not so common in the world though but meeting with the caretaker CM is a matter of happiness. Your elevation as the Caretaker Chief Minister is a welcome step, he added. He said that Germany is ready to extend necessary cooperation to Pakistan in different sectors including technical and vocational trainings. German companies will also play their proactive role in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) related projects. Pakistan would emerge as a favorite country for trade due to the establishment of economic zones in CPEC. He made it clear that Pakistan’s negative image has been done away with in the world and it’s a peaceful and secure country. A lot of German companies are serving in Pakistan without any fear for the last many decades and social concepts about Pakistan are being rapidly changed in the German society, he added. He expressed the hope that he is fully confident about the holding of elections in Pakistan due to the arrangements made by the caretaker setup. Earlier, the caretaker CM welcomed the German ambassador to Chief Minister’s Office and appreciated his services for improving Pakistan-German relations. Askari expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives in different accidents due to rain and extended sympathies to the bereaved families. He has directed the administration to ensure provision of best healthcare facilities to the injured and all the line departments including the administration should remain fully active and alert in wake of rains. All possible resources should be utilized to drain out water from the low lying areas and necessary machinery and other related equipments should be fully functional to cope with any untoward situation. He has further directed that flood emergency control rooms should remain functional round the clock at the level of districts, divisions and province. The arrangements with regard to drainage of rainwater should be conspicuously visible, he added. Published in Daily Times, June 28th 2018.