LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has asked the youth to reject the politics of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) as they were meant for studying in universities and colleges and not sitting in D-Chowk, Islamabad, with weapons.

Speaking at the launch of the “Honhaar Scholarship” programme here on Wednesday, she said the real face of Pakistan was its youth and not those wielding sticks, slingshots, or petrol bombs.

She urged students to take pride in their achievements and remain committed to the nation’s development.

“I envision every child from Punjab entering prestigious universities. This is both my dream and my responsibility. Students should become engines of progress, not fuel for chaos and unrest,” she said.

Addressing the PTI leadership, Ms Nawaz said: “If such attacks and destruction are deemed positive, then why not send your own children to face them?”

She said that no political affiliation would influence the award of scholarship and students from all backgrounds would be treated equally in this respect.

“This is not just the start of a scholarship scheme, it marks the beginning of a new era of progress and a promising future. Parents often struggle to bear educational expenses [of their children], but now the government will shoulder this burden,” she promised.

The chief minister further said that her focus was entirely on the youth and their future.

“The Honhaar Scholarship is a tribute to the talent and hard work of students. By giving them a guard of honor, we salute their dedication.”

She also announced scholarships for students pursuing higher education abroad, besides directing the initiation of a laptop scheme for students starting in January and expanding the e-bike distribution programme.

On the occasion, the scholarship recipients were presented a guard of honour by a police contingent.

Over 70,000 had applied for the scheme, and 30,000 of them received the scholarships meant for the students from both private and public universities. Of the 30,000 students, 18,000 are females. Some 32 percent of the scholarship recipients are from south Punjab.

The chief minister said the government had a plan to provide up to Rs10 million in loans to students intending to start their own business after graduation.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2024