Islamabad, Dec 23: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched Phase II of the Honhar Scholarship Programme, which will cover the educational costs of 30,000 students each year for the next four years.
Speaking at a ceremony at FAST National University of Computer and Engineering Sciences in Islamabad, the chief minister said, “This initiative enables talented students to pursue higher education at top institutions without financial concerns.
The Punjab government will fully cover the educational expenses of deserving students through this program.”
She further explained that the scholarships are available to students from 65 universities, 12 medical and dental colleges, and 359 colleges across Punjab. The program supports students in 68 different fields of study, with eligibility criteria including being under 22 years old, holding a Punjab domicile, and having parents with a monthly income under Rs300,000.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also emphasized the program’s transparency, noting that applications are processed through an online portal. The scrutiny process is carried out by a provincial-level committee and institutional committees, with oversight from a steering committee led by Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
She highlighted the program’s achievements, such as the first ceremony at the University of Punjab, where scholarships were awarded to 2,473 students, and the second event at FAST University Islamabad, where 2,570 students from the Rawalpindi division received scholarships.
Additionally, the chief minister mentioned that 1,886 scholarships were granted to students at UET Lahore. Of the total scholarships awarded, 1,660 went to public-sector university students, and 637 were given to students from private-sector universities.
