RASC News Agency: The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan has recently announced that 4,500 scholarships have been allocated for Afghanistani students in the country’s universities. These scholarships are part of the Allamah Muhammad Iqbal program and are being awarded in the third stage of the program. The students who are part of this program will be studying at prestigious universities in Pakistan.
The announcement regarding the scholarships was made during the graduation ceremony of 281 Afghanistani students who had successfully completed the program. The Pakistani embassy in Kabul had also announced last year its plans to provide scholarships to 4,500 Afghanistani students through the Allamah Iqbal scholarship program over the next three years. One-third of these scholarships will be awarded to female students, and more than 12.5 billion PKR has been allocated towards this study program.
While Pakistan has been offering scholarships to Afghanistani students for more than two years, it is important to note that girls above the sixth grade in Afghanistan are prohibited from attending school. Additionally, the doors of universities have remained closed to Afghanistani girls. However, other countries around the world have also previously announced the granting of scholarships for Afghanistani students.
Amidst the decision to expel undocumented Afghanistani refugees from Pakistan, the country is still steadfast in providing scholarships. Pakistan is offering these scholarships at a crucial time, despite the ongoing refugee crisis. The expulsion of refugees from Pakistan has raised concerns among national and international organizations. These organizations have expressed worries about the situation and its impact on the affected individuals. The forced displacement of refugees is a violation of their basic human rights, and it is crucial to urgently address this issue.
