KHAIRPUR: As Pakistanis celebrated the 72nd Independence Day with traditional zeal and enthusiasm, the principal of the Khairpur College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (KCAET) Dr Muhammad Ibrahim Keerio hoisted the national flag on the College’s building. He recalled the freedom struggle of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and said that millions of Muslims of subcontinent sacrificed their lives to achieve independence from the British rule. He urged teachers, students and youths of the country to follow the ideology put forth by Quaid-e-Azam to ensure development and prosperity of the state. “It is our responsibility to guide the next generation and motivate them to firmly follow the principles which Quaid-e-Azam followed all his life,” he said while outlining critical challenges being faced by Pakistan. He said that in the modern age of science and technology, European and Western countries were progressing through a well-developed system of education. “Effective measures are required to reform education sector of Pakistan, and so efficient resources need to be utilised for youths’ education on the priority basis, if Pakistan intends to achieve a position of glory among the comity of nations,” he said, adding that efforts of the youth were linked to the progress of the country. “Congress and many other leaders mocked Quaid-e-Azam, who was an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity, and the discriminatory attitude of Hindu and British leaders forced him to struggle for an independent state for Muslims,” he said, adding that the country required engineers, doctors and agricultural experts to counter current challenges being faced by the country. Meanwhile, Soil and Water Resource Engineering department associate professor Asadullah Siraki said that China and South Korea achieved freedom later than us, but the countries achieved more development and progress than Pakistan. “There was a time when Pakistan lent money to Germany, and despite being an agricultural rich country, our country has been forced to take loans from International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other countries,” he said, adding that it was the need of the hour that the government of Pakistan formulates effective measures while focusing on the agriculture sector to recover from the economic crisis. Later, 300 saplings were planted in the premises of KCAET. The principal called Pakistan ‘a disaster-prone country’ which requires viable solutions including tree plantations to cope with natural disasters. Published in Daily Times, August 15th 2018.