Federal Minister for Planning,Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday urged young doctors to contribute to Pakistan’s development through research,modern technology and the promotion of knowledge, while avoiding fake news and propaganda on social media and protecting patients’ confidential information.
Addressing the seventh convocation 2026 of Rashid Latif Medical and Dental College as chief guest, he said Pakistan had achieved significant successes since its establishment, but sustainable development required continuity in economic policies,evidence-based decision-making and the promotion of research and innovation.
Congratulating the graduates, he said their hard work and achievements would lay the foundation for their effective role in the country’s future.
Medicine was a profession in which people’s lives and health depended on doctors’ knowledge, skills and expertise, he added.
He said doctors could help mothers recover and care for their children, enable fathers to continue supporting their families, and restore happiness to children and their parents through effective treatment.
The minister said a convocation was not merely an occasion for celebration but also an opportunity to recognize professional and social responsibilities.
The success of graduates from private medical colleges reflected the sacrifices of their parents, who curtailed their own needs to ensure their children’s education. He urged the graduates to remember these sacrifices throughout their lives. Appreciating the services of teachers, Ahsan Iqbal said parents and teachers were among those who genuinely rejoiced in seeing their children and students surpass them. He stressed that they should always be treated with respect.
He said technological advancements were accelerating rapidly and innovations expected over the next five years could surpass those introduced during the previous 50 years.