The third phase of the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships Programme for Afghan Nationals has been established by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). In this new phase, 4500 scholarships to study at highly regarded Pakistani universities would be given to Afghan students over a three-year period.
At the graduation ceremony for 281 Afghan students who have finished their studies under Phase II of the programme on Thursday at the HEC Secretariat, Mr. Madad Ali Sindhi, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, made this announcement.
These students have earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a variety of fields, including computer science, engineering, medicine, agriculture, and management, from 25 different institutions located around Pakistan. Through the Scholarship Project’s first two phases, scholarships have been given to up to 6,000 Afghan students.
The minister told the Afghan students that this is the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. He urged them to return to Afghanistan with a greater sense of accountability. The minister asked them to list the problems that Afghanistan is experiencing and use their intelligence to find answers.
He underlined how important it is to increase Afghan faculty and student ability. Additionally, he recognised the critical role that HEC plays in giving Afghan students access to higher education in Pakistan through scholarships.
The chairman of the HEC, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, praised the students’ efforts and hard work while congratulating them on their accomplishments in his welcoming speech. In particular, he expressed gratitude to the Afghan students who placed first in their different degree courses and praised all of the students for persevering through many difficulties.
