IN September last year, severe floods ravaged various parts of the country, causing significant loss of life and property and forcing millions to relocate. In response to these hardships, among other relief measures, the Punjab chief minister had announced that one semester’s university fee would be waived for students from flood-affected areas.

Regrettably, despite the passage of several months, this promise is yet to be honoured. As a result, thousands of students are currently facing serious financial and academic distress.

I belong to Jalalpur Pirwala, a tehsil in Multan district, one of the regions that were worst hit by the floods. I am a PhD scholar in the Department of Communi-cation and Media Research at the University of Punjab in Lahore. Under the chief minister’s relief scheme, I had submitted an application to my university, requesting a waiver of my semester fee on account of being from an undisputed flood-affected area. However, I continue to receive notices from the department concerned.

Thousands of students from such areas are facing the same predicament. Some have already paid their fees under pressure to maintain their academic continuity and to be eligible for examinations.

The university maintains that it has forwarded all applications related to flood relief to the Punjab government, but no funds have yet been released to the universities. Consequently, the promised relief has not been extended to the students.

The provincial chief minister should take notice of the matter and ensure the immediate release of funds to universities so that students from flood-affected regions may receive the relief promised to them.

Hassaan Khalid
Lahore

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026