Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) organized national engineering convention at convention center Islamabad on 9- November. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan was the chief guest. He said engineers were key to development and progress of the country. He assured that the demands put in by the engineers like paid internship, and other issues were of administrative nature and would be addressed. The event proved to be the galaxy of some senior professionals from all sectors of engineering. PEC Chairman Engineer Jawed Salim Qureshi highlighted the achievements of the council.
PM asked PEC to ensure higher standards of quality, attention to detail and timely completion of projects.
He mentioned that current government took up the construction of Super Highway, Lowari Tunnel, Nandipur project, Kacchi Canal of which 350 kms that passes through Punjab and irrigates Balochistan, the Diamir Bhasha Dam, Thar Coal.
He said LNG terminals were built and a 1,200 kms long pipeline constructed to provide cheapest electricity in shortest period of time.
He said today 1,200 MWs of cheap electricity though three power houses was being generated through imported LNG.
He said most of these were part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the PEC needed to play its role.
He asked the Engineering Council to be competitive, ensure top quality to survive in a challenging world.
Prime Minister Abbasi, who himself is an engineer said it was mere coincidence that several ministers including that of defence, planning and education, and others who were at the helm of affairs were engineers.
He said together they were striving to take the country forward on the path of progress and prosperity.
He hoped that the PEC would be made more effective and professional and would serve the national interests in a befitting manner.
He was appreciative of holding of the Engineers Convention and hoped that it would turn out to be a regular event that would serve as a national forum to discuss issues related to the engineers.
The prime minister recalled his days while he was doing engineering and said in only one year’s time whatever he had learned at the university was almost obsolete as developments were moving at a very fast pace.
He shared how the technology transformed during the course of the studies and stressed the need of regular updates in curriculum so as to keep the students abreast of the latest changes.
He said if engineers deliver, the country could progress at a very fast pace.
He said it transpired to him in only a few days time when he became the petroleum minister that provision of natural gas was the only way forward to address country’s power shortage crisis.
He asked the PEC to strictly strive for standardization and broadening of the curriculum, quality of education which needs to be improved and the appointment of good managers at the helm of affairs; as the heads of engineering organizations needs good administrators.
The prime minister said Pakistan was among the few countries that had developed nuclear technology and had a rich contribution from its engineers.
He said Pakistani engineers could also excel in other areas and take the country forward.
