President Zardari hosts Iftar dinner for orphaned children

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has urged children to prioritize education, calling it the key to success.

He said that children were our future and they must focus on their education and work hard to become successful individuals.

The president expressed these views during an Iftar dinner hosted by him for the orphaned children being cared for by the Pakistan Orphan Care Forum, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday.

During the ceremony, President Zardari also distributed computer tablets to the children, emphasizing their use for educational purposes. “I urge all children to use these tablets, being gifted on First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari’s suggestion, for learning and personal growth,” he added.

The president said the children were as dear to him as his own and encouraged them to pursue education with dedication. The president also met with the children individually, expressing affection and reinforcing his commitment to their well-being.

Air Marshal (Retd) Farooq Habib, Chairman of the Pakistan Orphan Care Forum (POCF), highlighted the pressing issue of orphaned children in the country. “There are an estimated 4.6 million orphaned children in Pakistan,” he said. He said that POCF and its affiliated organizations were currently supporting nearly 120,000 children nationwide.

Farooq Habib emphasized the forum’s advocacy for orphaned children’s rights and called upon society to take collective responsibility for their care. “Providing for orphaned and underprivileged children is a shared duty,” he said.

The chairman thanked the president for his support and for hosting the orphaned children at an Iftar dinner at Aiwan-e-Sadr.