GILGIT: Over 1,260 undergraduate students of various disciplines of the Karakoram International University (KIU) have been awarded scholarships under the Ehsaas Scholarship Programme, taking the overall tally to 2,400 students.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, KIU Vice-Chancellor Dr Attaullah Shah said a total of 1,269 students of various disciplines had applied for the scholarship programme this year. “We were told that only 200 students will get the scholarships,” he said, adding the university had requested the GB government and President Arif Alvi, who is also the chancellor of the KIU, that poor people of the region were unable to pay fees of their children due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Shah said the president had issued special directives to award scholarships to all the students of KIU who had applied for it.

Moreover, he said 66 undergraduate students were also awarded the HEC need-based scholarships this year.

The vice-chancellor said last year total 911 KIU students had been awarded scholarships under the programme.

“This year Rs35 million would be distributed among various disciplines to help meet the students’ expenditures in respect of payment of fees and purchase of books,” he said.

Dr Attaullah Shah said the GB government had also promised to grant Rs4 million to help the students pay their outstanding fees.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2021