Advising the business community to take a leading role in social transformation, the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, called on leading businessmen and industrialists to allocate at least one per cent of their profits to charitable efforts aimed at enrolling over 26 million out-of-school children in Pakistan.
He made this appeal while speaking as the chief guest at a special gathering organised to rally support from Islamabad’s business community for the Green Crescent Trust’s (GCT) ambitious drive to provide quality education to children from underprivileged communities in Sindh. The event was hosted by Usman Shaukat, President of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (RCCI).
Praising the presence of Islamabad’s prominent business figures, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan highlighted their commitment to eradicating illiteracy, describing education as the key to Pakistan’s rapid progress and its emergence as an influential global player, akin to China.He urged philanthropists to continue supporting sincere organisations like GCT, which are dedicated to building quality schools in underserved regions.
“With strong support from the business community, GCT can more than double its number of charitable schools in Sindh in record time,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure every underserved area in the country has access to a sustainable network of quality schools.”
The Adviser also praised GCT’s remarkable alumni, especially women, who have returned to serve in the schools that educated them, reinforcing the cycle of empowerment in backward communities. He emphasised the need for unity among institutions and society at large to revolutionise efforts for the uplift of impoverished communities.
Highlighting accountability, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan supported the call for stricter oversight of the government’s massive allocations for education and public health, ensuring these funds are used transparently and effectively.The Adviser also lauded the philanthropic vision of GCT CEO Zahid Saeed, describing him as a shining example for donors dedicated to ending illiteracy across Pakistan.
He warmly appreciated the GCT CEO’s announcement that, beginning in 2026, the Trust will expand its operations beyond Sindh and establish its presence in other provinces, thereby transforming its fight against illiteracy into a truly nationwide mission.Speaking at the event, Zahid Saeed revealed that federal and provincial governments collectively spent a record Rs 3.2 trillion on education and health—surpassing Pakistan’s defence budget. He emphasised that transparent and accountable use of this public funding could transform the nation swiftly. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to Islamabad’s business community for their overwhelming support in enrolling out-of-school children in Sindh.
He told the audience that thanks to exceptional donor and philanthropic support, the GCT had emerged as a key force for educational uplift in remote and underdeveloped parts of Sindh over the past 31 years. The Trust currently operates 173 charitable schools with an enrolment of 34,660 students, more than 40 per cent of whom are girls. Among them are 2,150 orphans receiving dedicated academic and welfare support. This extensive network is powered by over 2,000 qualified teachers, committed to transforming the lives of children who would otherwise remain deprived of learning opportunities, said the GCT CEO.“Thanks to the generous support of our dedicated donors, GCT remains firmly committed to advancing its Vision 2030,” said Zahid Saeed.He noted that the Trust plans to expand its network to 250 charitable schools, enabling access to quality education for 100,000 underprivileged children across Sindh over the next five years.
He said the GCT had the utmost resolve to partner with the federal and provincial governments and like-minded non-profits and charities to work collectively and expeditiously to impart quality school education to the children from the deprived communities. Zahid Saeed said the GCT had joined hands with the Sindh Education Foundation, Mohammad Shafi Trust and many other leading NGOs to run schools for the same cause jointly.
Also on the occasion, the chief guest, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Tourism, presented a certificate to the RCCI President in recognition of his services for educating underprivileged children in Sindh and formally conferred upon him the status of GCT’s brand ambassador. Zahid Saeed thanked the RCCI President for accepting the role and praised his continued efforts to enrol out-of-school children across Sindh.
