Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced the establishment of an education city in Lahore to attract world-class universities to set up campuses.
This ambitious initiative is part of its broader vision to improve educational opportunities in the province and promote international cooperation.
During her speech, Maryam Nawaz also revealed plans to offer international scholarships for the youth of Punjab to study at prestigious global institutions.
These scholarships are designed to give students from all backgrounds the financial support they need to succeed in their academic endeavors.
Maryam Nawaz highlighted the improving economic indicators of the country, noted the rising stock market and falling inflation. She appreciated the efforts and hard work of the government for the positive economic trajectory.
The Chief Minister also discussed her efforts to empower the youth and said that the Punjab government offers scholarships and resources to support students from all backgrounds, including those in private universities.
Responding to continued political criticism, Maryam Nawaz said: “I am a mother and as a mother, no one would ever say, ‘burn, hit or let your children suffer while others remain comfortable.'” She added that her political opponents are primarily focused on spreading criticism and propaganda, but such attacks only strengthened it.
On Sunday, Maryam Nawaz launched the second phase of the Honorary Scholarship Scheme, which will cover the education expenses of 30,000 students annually for the next four years. The scholarships will pay 100% of educational expenses for successful applicants, enabling students from Punjab to pursue higher education without financial problems.
The program will benefit students from 65 universities, 12 medical and dental colleges and 359 colleges in Punjab covering 68 subjects. To qualify, students must be under 22 years of age, a resident of Punjab and have parents with a monthly income of less than Rs 300,000.
To ensure transparency, the application process was managed through an online portal with scrutiny by institutional and provincial level committees overseen by Chief Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
Scholarship distribution has already started, 2,473 students have received scholarships from Punjab University and 2,570 students have received scholarships from FAST University Islamabad, focusing on students from Rawalpindi Division. In addition, 1,886 scholarships were awarded to students at UET Lahore, including 1,660 for public sector university students and 637 for private sector students.
With these initiatives, the Government of Punjab is taking significant steps to promote education, empower students and create opportunities for the next generation of leaders.
