Addressing the inauguration ceremony of a Danish School in Islamabad, the prime minister said every talented child should have equal opportunities to receive quality education and succeed on the basis of merit.
Shehbaz congratulated students, parents and teachers, saying documentaries and accounts of students' achievements presented at the event had inspired hope and encouragement.
He cited the example of a female student from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who lost her father during childhood and faced difficulties pursuing her education because her family lacked financial resources. Despite these challenges, she continued her studies and eventually became a doctor, enabling her to serve humanity, he said.
The prime minister said such achievements demonstrated that talent and intelligence were not the exclusive privilege of any social class. Every child, regardless of family background, should have an equal chance to fulfil their potential, he added.
Shehbaz said millions of Pakistani families struggled to meet basic household expenses despite their parents working in fields under difficult weather conditions. For such families, providing education and meeting children's essential needs remained a significant challenge.
He said it was a form of social inequality when talented children from poor families were deprived of education because of financial constraints, while children from wealthy households could attend leading educational institutions in Pakistan and abroad.
The Danish Schools initiative was designed to narrow this gap by providing quality education to talented children from disadvantaged backgrounds, he said.
The prime minister recalled that the Danish Schools programme was launched in Punjab in 2010 to provide quality education to deserving children from remote areas and low-income families.
He also referred to the migration of Muslims to Pakistan in 1947, saying they had left behind their homes and possessions in the hope of building a country where justice, merit, hard work and perseverance would be valued.
Shehbaz urged the nation to reflect on its progress towards fulfilling those aspirations, reiterating that access to education and opportunities for development should not depend on a child's wealth or family background.
He said Danish Schools offered hope to children who, given adequate opportunities, could transform their lives and contribute to national development and the service of humanity.
Students, parents, teachers, federal ministers, diplomats and senior officials attended the ceremony.
