By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: An awards ceremony for high-achieving Matric and FA/FSc students was held in Dera Ismail Khan under the joint auspices of the Pakistan Army and the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, with the aim of recognizing exceptional academic performance.
The event, attended by senior civil and military officials, teachers, parents and a large gathering of students, was led by the chief guest, Major General Mudassir Saeed, GOC 40 Division. Commissioner Dawood Khan, Station Commander Muhammad Abu Bakar, DPO Sajjad Ahmad Sahibzada, members of civil society, peace committee representatives and individuals from various walks of life were also present at the ceremony.
Major General Mudassir Saeed distributed awards among the top position holders and congratulated them on their achievements. In his address, he said the Quranic verse recited at the start of the event underscored the importance of acquiring knowledge, adding that Islam emphasizes learning but that knowledge without practice holds no value.
He told the students that many dream of reaching the academic standing they had attained and said the country’s future rests in the hands of its youth. Their outstanding results, he said, reflected optimism and a promising future for Pakistan.
Stressing that genuine success comes only through hard work, he said there were no shortcuts in life and that nothing can be achieved without sincere effort. He also reflected on the impact of social media, saying the digital age had blurred distinctions between truth and falsehood. Social media, he noted, had diverted people from hard work and pushed them toward shortcuts, creating confusion and allowing extremist ideas and intolerance to spread.
He urged students to recognize these challenges and equip themselves with knowledge to counter them. They must be able to distinguish truth from falsehood and help others do the same, he said. Major General Mudassir Saeed concluded by reminding the students that the nation’s future depended on them and that Pakistan looked to them with hope for a prosperous and capable future.
