“Pakistan has made impressive strides in education. Our overall education score has improved over time in access, quality, achievement and gender parity,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States. “But we still have a long way to go; to educate every child and ensure quality education,” he said. “These are our national goals as well as UN designated Sustainable Development Goals,” he continued. “To achieve these goals and prepare our children for the future, we need more schools, more funding, infrastructure, qualified teachers, improved gender equity, refurbished curricula and modern educational technologies. We are moving down to that path,” he stressed. Ambassador Masood Khan made these remarks while addressing the Annual Gala event of DC chapter of The Citizen Foundation (TCF)-USA. The high-profile annual fund-raising event was attended by nearly 700 leading businessmen, professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders of Pakistani descent. An amount of $3,510,400 was collected during the event with a pledge of seven new schools to be established and supported by Pakistani-American community members of TCF-USA. The ceremony was conducted by renowned Pakistani-American entrepreneur Hasnain Aslam. Paying a glowing tribute to the valuable contributions of TCF-USA, Masood Khan noted that TCF, since its inception, has built 1900 schools for nearly 300, 000 children. The DC chapter, in particular has established 43 schools all over the underprivileged and impoverished areas of Pakistan, granting over 5,000 children the chance to shape a successful and promising future. “You have unlocked those opportunities which were not available to these underprivileged children before,” the Ambassador observed. The people of Pakistan are grateful to you for this precious gift that you have given to them, he said. “You have become a respected brand in Pakistan and abroad,” he said. The Ambassador also recalled TCF contributions during the devastating floods in Pakistan last year and the COVID pandemic. Masood Khan also lauded the services of Ms. Shimmi Kidwai, the President of TCF, who has also been honored with prestigious Tamgha-e-Khidmat for her decades long meritorious social and humanitarian services. “Have faith in Pakistan. Keep unity in your ranks. Continue your work to strengthen Pak-US relations. Be confident that together we would succeed,” Masood Khan reiterated his call to the Pakistani community present on the occasion. He concluded his speech with quotes from Maya Angelou and Epictetus that “Giving liberates the soul of the giver,” and "Only the educated are free."
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