Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is not considering any proposal to shut down or merge national institutions of academic, literary, historical, or cultural significance.
He was talking to PML-N Parliamentary Leader in the Upper House Senator Irfan Siddiqui, who called on him in Islamabad today (Tuesday).
Declaring sources of knowledge and literature as the spirit of a society, the Prime Minister said Pakistan possesses a rich heritage of civilization and culture, which is a source of national pride. He said on the contrary, the government will strive to make these institutions stronger, more effective and more productive so that society can be cleansed of extremism and country’s true soft image can emerge before the world.
Irfan Siddiqui informed the Prime Minister about the concerns among intellectuals, writers, poets, and artists across the country regarding the recommendations of the government’s rightsizing committee to shut down or merge scholastic institutions. He also reminded Shehbaz Sharif that during ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s previous tenure, special attention was given to these institutions and their performance was widely appreciated across all sectors of society.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif further said societies that sideline knowledge, literature and the fine arts fall prey to mechanical thinking and lose feelings of delicate human emotions. He added that the government will soon form a committee to improve the management and performance of these institutions and expand their scope and mandate in line with the demands of the modern era.
Irfan Siddiqui thanked the Prime Minister for his clear stance on academic and literary institutions.