ISLAMABAD, Dec 1: A student from Qilla Abdullah, a backward area of Balochistan, has been selected for Rhodes scholarship 2012.

Only 80 students are selected for the scholarship from 23 countries every year. Former chairman senate Wasim Sajjad and former US president Bill Clinton were also winners of the scholarship.

Rafiullah Kaka, in his early 20s, told Dawn there is only one middle school in his native district and those who wanted to study had to travel many miles every day.

He said that he had eight sisters and five brothers and he completed his studies up to intermediate from Balochistan and then came to Lahore for further studies. It was difficult for his family to afford his expenses because his father ran a shop of mobile phones, he added.

“I am aiming to do MPhil in International Relations and will come back to serve my country,” he said.

Assistant secretary Rhodes Pakistan, Agha Afzal told Dawn that this year, 188 applications were received for the scholarship.

“Only Rafiullah from Pakistan could be selected, which is an honour for us,” he said.—A Reporter