22,000 Afghan students vie for Pakistani scholarships

Pakistan will provide 1,000 Afghan students the chance to further their education in the country this year, the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul announced Saturday.

According to the Embassy, around 22,000 students from across the country will participate in the aptitude test for the Alama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships program.

The scholarships, offered in Bachelor, Masters, and Ph.D. degrees, include tuition fees and monthly stipends for the entire duration of the study period at Pakistani universities.

“Tests of 22,000 Afghan students for scholarships to study in Pakistani universities (2021 program) started today (Saturday) at Embassy of Pakistan Kabul and our consulates,” Pakistani Ambassador Mansoor Ahmad Khan said.

Khan stated that 1,000 talented students will be awarded full scholarships and they will start their studies this year under the Allama Iqbal Scholarship scheme.

“Pakistan has helped Afghanistan in the field of education, especially in higher education. We want to strengthen our relations with Afghanistan in various fields,” Khan said.

Meanwhile, the scholarship program officials stated that 100 scholarships have been reserved for female students, aimed at empowering Afghan women.

Jahan Zeb Khan, head of the Alama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships stated: “The government of Pakistan has provided 6,000 scholarships for Afghan students since 2010. Of

which 2,500 students have graduated from various disciplines and are serving in different sectors in Afghanistan.”