Speeches
SPEECH MADE BY ASH-SHAIKH H. ABDUL NAZAR, GENERAL SECRETARY OF ALL CEYLON JAMIYYATHUL ULAMA ON THE OCCASION OF INAUGURATION OF PAKISTAN AIDED VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE ON 11.08.2007
Mr. Chairman, Your Excellency the High Commissioner
of Pakistan, the team that has accompanied him, Hon. Members of the North
Western Provincial Council, Members of the Puttalam Urban Council, Distinguished
Invitees, Ladies and Gentlemen!
I am indeed very much honoured by the kind invitation extended to me by
the Puttalam District Union of Muslim League Youth Fronts to share its joy
on the occasion of inauguration of the Pakistan Aided Vocational Training
Centre.
Your Excellency! Today we are glad and proud to have you in our township
which is predominantly an ancient Muslim urban area. Muslims of this town
who live in peace and harmony with Sinhalese and Tamil brothers constitute
80% of the total population of about 27000. Following the forceful expulsion
of the Muslims in 1990 from the North of Sri Lanka by a group fighting for
a homeland, the population swelled thus the total number of inhabitants
becoming approximately 33000. There are around 35 Masjids and 5 Muslim schools
in this area.
Your Excellency! We are found slumped in dejection as this town continues
to be backward in every aspect. It is a considered opinion of all that the
poor performance in education is the direct cause for this and this mediocrity
could be seemingly attributed to lack of academic facilities and resources.
Schools are understaffed and with no sophisticated lab facilities. Only
a handful of students excel at the G.C.E. (O/L and A/L) Examinations and
the rest are left with no choice.
As you are aware, the economists of the modern era have suggested ‘Knowledge-Based
Economy’. It means the economy which is the backbone of a nation is based
on knowledge. The students left stranded with no future prospects pose threat
to the country and people and therefore need our immediate and serious attention.
They should be guided in the right path. Job-oriented vocational training
centres are some kind of great relief and from this angle we, Muslims of
this township, look at the Pakistan Aided Vocational Training Centre that
was declared open a little while ago under the auspices of Your Excellency.
At this juncture, we appeal to Your Excellency to make it a fully-fledged
one in a manner that could cater on a large scale to the needs of the younger
generation.
May Almighty Allah’s blessing be with you, your team and the Govt. and
people of Pakistan!
Thank you.
Jumuah Khutbah
Weekly Fiqh Class for Adults
Special address At prize-giving
