By our correspondent
KARACHI: Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, chairman of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan and federal minister for education and vocational training, visited the ongoing International Book Fair at the Expo Centre in Karachi. He spoke to the media about the country’s educational crisis.
Dr Siddiqui described Pakistan as facing a severe educational emergency. He said more than 25 million children are out of school. He called the situation a national tragedy that can no longer be ignored. He urged the immediate implementation of a nationwide educational emergency. He stressed that young people must be guided away from the distractions of the internet and back to books and critical thinking.
He highlighted Karachi’s dual importance as both Pakistan’s economic engine and a center of knowledge and culture. He said the city’s development would directly affect the prosperity of the country. He added that federal initiatives are underway to equip the city’s youth with modern IT and digital skills to prepare them for today’s world.
Answering journalists’ questions, Dr Siddiqui said no educational or economic reform could succeed without political stability. He called on the nation to abandon divisive politics and embrace unity and collective progress. He noted that the strong public turnout at the book fair shows that Karachi remains deeply connected to learning and literature.
The minister described this intellectual engagement as a guiding light capable of leading the country out of darkness. He was accompanied by members of MQM-P’s central committee, opposition leader of the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi, and other parliamentarians, reflecting political support for initiatives addressing the educational crisis.
