Provincial Governments Competing to Destroy Education, Says JI Emir

Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has criticised the country’s education system, saying provincial governments are competing to destroy education while millions of children remain out of school.

Addressing a Bano Qabil ceremony organised by Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan in Gujrat on Friday, he said the country’s outdated and expensive education system had failed to provide quality education to the masses, with nearly 27.5 million children not attending school.

He said 52% of Class 9 students in Punjab had failed their examinations, while Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had travelled to London to attend her daughter’s graduation ceremony.

Rehman urged young people to join Jamaat-e-Islami in demanding free and quality education, stressing that providing education was the state’s responsibility.

“Unfortunately, the elite have captured the country’s resources. Their own children study at expensive institutions abroad, while the children of ordinary citizens are being deprived of education,” he said.

He urged young people not to lose hope and to work for their own future and the country’s progress. He also called on them to intensify their struggle, alongside Jamaat-e-Islami, to transform the outdated system.

The JI chief said Pakistan belonged to its 250 million people, particularly those who had sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence, and not to rulers, generals, landlords or influential feudal figures.

He said around 150 million people in Pakistan were aged 30 or below, arguing that investment in this human resource, particularly through modern information technology training, could transform the country’s economic future.

“If these young people are provided with resources and trained in modern IT skills, they can help the country repay its debts within the next 10 years and put it on the path to progress,” he said.

The JI leader criticised the ruling elite for focusing on personal interests and personality-driven politics instead of addressing public problems. He said ordinary citizens were struggling under heavy taxation, including billions of rupees collected from the poor through the petroleum levy, while the government failed to ensure even their basic rights.

He said JI was pursuing its struggle for systemic change while also taking practical steps to equip young people with skills and opportunities.

The Bano Qabil programme, launched four years ago, was now providing free IT training to thousands of young people across the country, he said, adding that the initiative would continue as part of the party’s efforts to bring change.

Jamaat-e-Islami Punjab North Emir Dr Tariq Saleem, Gujrat district chief Ansar Dhool and Alkhidmat Punjab North President Muhammad Rizwan also addressed the ceremony.

Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman distributed certificates among graduating students and congratulated them on completing their training.