President Asif Ali Zardari today committed to providing permanent higher education opportunities and dedicated scholarships for orphaned children, announcing the pledge during an Iftar dinner hosted at the President’s House.
The President hosted the gathering on Saturday in honour of a large number of boys and girls under the stewardship of the Pakistan Orphan Care Forum, telling the young attendees that the President’s House was their home.
The ceremony was organised to commemorate the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation”s (OIC) annual Orphans Day, an observance held during the holy month of Ramazan to highlight the difficulties confronting vulnerable children.
This day aims to foster social solidarity and advocate for the comprehensive care, education, and protection of orphans, particularly those residing in conflict-affected regions.
In his address, President Zardari described the children as the future of Pakistan and stated he would continue to serve the people of the country. He also prayed for the improvement of the regional situation and for peace in Pakistan.
Air Marshal (retd) Farooq Habib, the Chairman of the Pakistan Orphan Care Forum, and other notable personalities also attended the function.
The chairman of the forum thanked the President for hosting the event and encouraging the children. He remarked that fulfilling the dreams of these young people and building their future was a collective responsibility.
Mr Habib noted that the Pakistan Orphan Care Forum currently supports more than 100,000 orphan children.
At the conclusion of the event, President Zardari distributed gifts among the children, which included tablet computers.