Islamabad, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday announced the federal government’s patronage of deserving students and in the first phase five students each from Balochistan’s 30 districts would be selected and given education in the top educational institutions of the country.

“The federal government will bear all expenses of their education till the Intermediate level,” he said while addressing a dinner hosted by him on the Pakistan Day here Wednesday night.

Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek, Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza, federal ministers, diplomats, parliamentarians and bureaucrats attended the dinner. On this occasion, the prime minister also announced the appointment of Dr Paul Jacob Bhatti, brother of Shahbaz Bhatti, as his adviser on minorities’ affairs with the status of a federal minister.

The prime minister said the government patronage would be gradually extended to other provinces of the country. These students would be provided education in the best institutions such as the Aitchison Collage Lahore, Karachi Grammar School, Sadiq Public School Bahawalpur, Lawrence College, FC College Lahore and other such institutions.

Prime Minister Gilani said his democratic government was trying its best to make Pakistan a truly democratic, moderate, and welfare Islamic state in accordance with the vision of the founding fathers.

He said since taking over, the government had taken a number of key steps such as the restoration of original character of the Constitution through 18th and 19th Amendments, 7th National Finance Commission Award, political ownership of the war on terror, Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan initiative, the strengthening of parliament and other state institutions, pro-women and pro-minorities reforms and Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment & Self-Governance Order 2009. “These initiatives of democratic Pakistan have made our federation strong,” he added.

The PM said from the very first day, when the elected government took over, it resolved to fight terrorism, protect the sovereignty of the country, to provide better life to the people and to address the problems of people through policy of reconciliation. He assured the international community that Pakistan would eliminate terrorism and extremism from its midst as these notions are contrary to our collective ethos, identity and religious teachings. He said the idea of Pakistan is too vibrant and dynamic to bow before the forces of terrorism and extremism. “It is democracy which helped achieve Pakistan and it is democracy which would help Pakistan achieve our founding fathers’ dream,” he added.

The prime minister said 23rd of March is the day when the Muslims of the Sub-continent decided to launch a peaceful democratic struggle to achieve a separate homeland where they could live as free and equal citizens in accordance with the principles of social justice propounded by Islam.

He said the the Pakistan Resolution adopted on this day 71 years ago was based on the Muslims’ right to self-determination, their unique culture and civilization. He said it marked the dawn of the final phase of their struggle to get rid of political bondage and a determination to chart a new course of action. “Our founding fathers wanted Pakistan to be a democratic, welfare and moderate Islamic state that would not only ensure the well-being of its own people without any discrimination of caste, creed, race and color but also contribute to the peace and development of the world,” he added.