No Shortcuts to Nation’s Progress: Nawabzada Haji Mer Lashkari Khan Riyasani

Quetta:Senior politician and former senator, Nawabzada Haji Mer Lashkari Khan Riyasani, Chairman of the Balochistan Peace Forum, emphasized that there are no shortcuts to the progress and rise of nations. He stated that nations chart their course based on principles and move forward towards their goals. He underscored that Balochistan requires a well-organized intellectual and political struggle, the objectives of which should be based on knowledge and awareness.

Speaking to volunteers of the “Book-Lover Movement” organized by the Balochistan Peace Forum, he said that the province needs a structured and enlightened movement for its progress. He noted that despite the non-representative government’s attempts to hinder intellectual pursuits, people in Balochistan are increasingly embracing knowledge, as evidenced by the growing number of youth organizing book fairs across the province.

He pointed out that Balochistan Peace Forum has donated over 60,000 books to educational institutions and libraries in both urban and remote areas. He thanked the political workers and book donors involved in the initiative. He emphasized that these book fairs, organized by youth independently, signal the start of a serious intellectual movement, which will brighten the province’s future. “Our future will be determined through knowledge,” he said.

Riyasani condemned the provincial government’s actions, stating that it has been blocking book fairs in many districts through local administration, discouraging youth and shutting doors of knowledge for the people of Balochistan. He expressed strong disapproval of this interference.

In his message to the youth, Riyasani urged them to continue the struggle of the Book-Lover Movement with renewed enthusiasm and to base Balochistan’s future on intellectual and informed foundations. He called for building a collective national and intellectual framework to prevent future generations from following paths of corruption, deceit, and shortcut tactics used by those seeking personal gain. “Nations rise by setting their principles and moving towards their destination,” he concluded.