ISLAMABAD: The UK government’s Chevening programme and Allied Bank Limited (ABL) have launched a new partnership that will enable talented Pakistanis to pursue fully funded master’s degrees at leading UK universities.

A statement issued here on Tuesday said that Allied Bank was the first organisation to establish a locally funded Chevening scholarship partnership in Pakistan, bringing together the UK’s flagship international scholarship programme and Pakistan’s private sector to invest in the next generation of Pakistani leaders.

The statement said that Chevening partnered with more than 140 organisations, including private companies, NGOs, foreign government departments, and UK universities.

Under the Chevening-ABL Scholarship, two scholars will be supported each year over three academic years, starting in 2027-28. They will study subjects important to Pakistan’s future growth, including artificial intelligence, technology, cybersecurity, digital transformation, economics and financial inclusion.

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott CMG OBE said: “Pakistan’s greatest strength is its people. This partnership will help impressive future leaders to study at world-leading UK universities and bring fresh ideas home.”

“It is especially fitting that a former Chevening Scholar is now opening the same door for the next generation,” she added.

The partnership also marked a full-circle moment for Allied Bank President and CEO Aizid Gill, who studied MSc Business Economics at the University of Manchester as a Chevening Scholar in 2001. Twenty-five years later, he was helping create the same opportunity for a new generation of Pakistani scholars.

Aizid Gill, President and CEO of Allied Bank Limited, said: “The ABL-Chevening Scholarship is about giving talented Pakistanis the opportunity to learn, grow and bring that exposure back home.”

The first two Chevening-ABL scholars will be selected from the existing applicant pool for the 2027-28 academic year.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2026