KARACHI, Mar 4: More than 6,000 student visas were issued in 2003 to Pakistanis for studying in Britain. This was stated by British Deputy High Commissioner Hamish St Claire Daniel here on Thursday.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the annual speaking competition organized by the British Council in collaboration with the English Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP). Mr Daniel also praised the performance of Pakistani students in the British educational institutions.
He said the British High Commission's Visa Section in 2003 issued more than 6,170 student visas. This was an over 200 per cent increase to the previous year and represented the highest number of student visas issued in a single year.
WINNERS: A student of the Lahore Grammar School, Islamabad Campus, Ms Sarah N. Ahmed, won the speaking competition. Ten contestants took part in the final round of the competition. The second position in the competition went to Sohail Razzaq of Karachi Grammar School.
He with Sarah Ahmed would represent Pakistan at the English Speaking Union's International Public Speaking contest to be held in London. Being the first position holder, Sarah Ahmed got a cash prize of Rs 5,000 and a trophy.
Sohail Razzaq was given a cash prize of Rs4,000 with a shield. Babar Ghausi of the Happy Home School, who stood third, got a cash prize of Rs3,000. Azka Khan of the Islamabad College for Girls was placed in fourth position followed by Ali Shahzad Malik of the Lahore College of Arts and Sciences.
The 6th position went to Mishelle Raza of the City School's PAF Chapter 'A' Level, and Mustafa Ahmed of St Patrick's High School remained 7th. Those who were placed in 4th to 7th positions were given cash prizes of Rs1,000 each. The British deputy high commissioner gave away the prizes to the winners. The president of the ESUP, Abdullah Hussain Haroon, also spoke on the occasion. - APP
