PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court has directed University of Peshawar (UoP) to immediately disburse the amount under the Need-Based Scholarship Programme (NBSP) to the entitled students.

A bench consisting of Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Wiqar Ahmad accepting two identical petitions field by several students including Gohar Ali and others against withholding of their scholarships, stipends and fee exemptions to which they were entitled under the NBSP.

The bench also directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to arrange and release the remaining funds to the UoP in accordance with the terms of the scholarship programme.

“The University of Peshawar is further directed to immediately disburse all amounts already received, or to be received, from the Higher Education Commission to the entitled students. Such amounts shall not be retained by the University any longer,” the bench ordered in its seven pages detailed judgment.

High court rules financial constraints can’t be excuse for denying scholarship to petitioners

The bench observed that perusal of record revealed that the entitlement of petitioners to the subject scholarship program had not been denied.

“The scholarship in question is a need-based program, designed to support financially disadvantaged students enrolled in public sector universities. Therefore, any constraint in funding cannot be made a ground to deny the scholarship or to make reduced payments to the petitioners,” the bench observed.

It further observed: “This need-based scholarship program deserves priority, as it enables deserving students to complete their education and improve their future prospects and careers.”

Advocates Shahid Raza and Danish Khan Afridi appeared for the petitioners and stated that their clients were duly enrolled students of the UoP.

They stated that the HEC, through the UoP authorities announced HEC NBSP and invited applications from eligible and deserving students.

They stated that on completion of the selection process, petitioners were declared successful and were duly approved as scholarship recipients.

Consequently, they said, the petitioners were entitled to exemption from tuition fees and payment of stipends in accordance with the HEC policy, which provided that funding would continue for the entire duration of the respective academic programs.

They stated that some of the petitioners also received initial installments of the scholarship.

The counsel stated that the lists of successful candidates were forwarded to and approved by HEC, and funds were released to the university, however, despite such approval and release of funds, respondents including the UoP failed to disburse the scholarships and stipends to the petitioners.

They claimed that the respondents withheld payments on the pretext of financial constraints and diversion of funds for other purposes.

They stated that despite repeated requests the authorities continued to withhold their scholarships and stipends.

In its comments, the HEC stated that it had been providing funds to public sector universities through annual recurring grants, under which the NBSP was also managed.

It was submitted that scholarships were awarded by the Institutional Scholarship Award Committee (ISAC), headed by the vice chancellor, to the most financially deserving students, subject to maintaining satisfactory academic performance.

It was added that as per SOPs, selected students were entitled to a monthly stipend of Rs6,000 along with full tuition fee, and in the case of five-year programs, funding was being provided for the entire duration.

The HEC claimed that it had already disbursed funds to the relevant financial quarters and duly communicated same to the UoP.

It also stated that although petitioners raised concerns with HEC, the commission clarified that the funds had already been transferred to the university, therefore, any issue regarding delay or nonpayment of scholarship fell within the domain of the UoP.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026