ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (DNA): Federal education minister Shafqat Mehmood said Saturday in a reference to his sanctioning reopening of academic institutions which were closed amid pandemic spread that the country can go back to its normal routine with Covid-19 vaccination availability.

“I would have okayed further delay in reopening of the educational institutions if indeed it were the case that pupils weren’t rejoicing the resumption of physical classes,” Shafqat Mehmood said.

The federal minister admitted it was a hard decision to suspend schools and said without education a nation can never prosper. He said it at an event, all the while as students present in it raised yelled slogans in support of online examinations instead of requiring students to appear in the classes physically.

Separately on the political front, the minister claimed on the controversial Daska polls that his party Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf has got the winning lead and it is due to its visible victory that a clamor is instigated.

“When poll results favor Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz it is all good,” he said, adding but as soon as PTI takes the lead, there’s a ruckus with allegations of rigging hurling around.

“When I talk about politics, they ask me to speak on education matters, and thus I tell you there’s a host of challenges in the realm that we have to resolve,” he said. DNA