Peshawar, September 09: Terming the Taliban “enemies of Islam” for destroying schools, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said the federal government would announce a development package of Rs 2 billion for the reconstruction of Malakand division.
“Those who destroyed schools in Malakand are not saviours, they are enemies of Islam,” he told a national workshop to mark International Literacy Day. “Let’s rebuild Swat (schools), let’s rebuild Pakistan,” he added. He said his government was working to eliminate poverty and unemployment to combat extremism. He also urged the international community to come forward and join the efforts to rebuild Malakand.
Top priority: The premier said education was the government’s top priority and it had doubled its budget from 2.4 to four percent of the gross domestic product to increase the country’s literacy rate. He said the government had declared 2010 “Literacy Year”. He blamed the rise of extremism, violence, religious bigotry and falling moral standards as society’s failure to recognise women as effective tools for social harmony and national reconstruction.
Under consideration: Gilani said the constitutional committee headed by Senator Raza Rabbani was considering renaming NWFP to Pukhtoonkhwa, adding the issue would be resolved with the consent of all stakeholders. Replying to a question on the presence of the Blackwater organisation in Pakistan, the premier said: “This is disinformation, no such organisation is working in the country.”
Same day: The prime minister also said he was in favour of the entire country celebrating Eid on the same day. He said it was regrettable the country could not achieve consensus on celebrating Eid simultaneously, the APP news agency reported.
-Agencies