ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter on Tuesday said his country had been providing assistance to Pakistan to make it strong and with improved basic needs of life available to the people living in different parts of the country.
He was addressing a function here at the National Library to commemorate completion of renovation work of schools in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Malakand areas which were damaged by militant attacks.
Referring to the repair of schools in Fata and Malakand under USAID assistance, he said: “It is our effort to improve the education system in Pakistan especially in the under developed areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
“It is the common task for Pakistan and US to secure the future of children through imparting education,” he said.
“We want that Pakistani children be stronger and stronger…be provided with maximum facilities especially educational facilities at their door steps.”
The ambassador said a strong and stable Pakistan was in the interest of America, therefore, USAID and other organisations were working in Pakistan to improve the country’s infrastructure.
He said more than 700 schools in Fata and Malakand had been repaired and equipped with books, furniture and other basic needs at the schools with training to the teachers.
The project started three years ago and continued despite many hardships especially security issues in areas where the military started its operation against militants.
He also appreciated the KP leadership for taking strong and difficult decisions to fight militants and reviving the educational system especially for girl students.
With cooperation and joint efforts, “we can fulfil our dreams” for a better, prosperous and progressive Pakistan, he said.
Speaking at the occasion, KP Education Minister Sardar Hussain Babak said the USAID provided valuable support in repairing educational institutions and reviving facilities.
The minister said some people were involved in propaganda that Americans were not Pakistan’s friends, which he said was wrong, adding that the real enemies of Pakistan were those who destroyed the educational institutions and threatened the country’s peace and security.
Appreciating the contribution of USAID and other international donor agencies, the minister said, there was a need to promote education. He said educated people could be in a better position to identify their enemies.
He further said that the people of KP sacrificed their lives for the province’s security and prosperity and assured that they would continue to give sacrifices in the future for national interest.
USAID Pakistan Chief Dr Andrew Sisson and other officials also attended the function.
Ambassador Munter also interacted with some of the students who especially visited Islamabad from Fata and Malakand schools to attend the ceremony.
On a question ‘why the US is helping them?’ asked by one of the students, the US ambassador said: “We want to make you strong, so that you can make a strong Pakistan as a strong Pakistan is in our interest.”
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