Funds Shortage for Pakistani Students in UK- Journalists For International Peace expresses Concern

Press Statement

Journalists For International Peace strongly reacted to the news of non-availability of funds to Pakistani students, who were admitted on government scholarship to various universities of UK. Earlier, Dr Pirzada Qasim, the Vice Chancellor of Karachi University (KU), has revealed on Wednesday, that the “ students, who were selected for foreign studies in UK on scholarships of Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan , are being humiliated enough to raise donations for meeting their educational expenses on account of lack of funds were to be provided by the commission.

“ It is pathetic and deplorable that government of Pakistan has totally ignored the “brains and future’ of the Country , Mr Iftikhar Chaudri, President of JIP , reiterated here in Islamabad. He feared the government-run HEC may have to face judicial case if it failed to pay off on time the dues meant for educational development plans.

When Dr Javed Leghari , Chairman HEC was approached , he maintained “The government of Pakistan slashed HEC’s budget from 22.50 billion rupees to 18.50 billion rupees for fiscal year 2010 in March this year but despite mounting directives issued from Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, HEC has been provided mere 11 billion rupees during period from July to December 2009”Not a single penny has been released to HEC in last quarter for 2009 fiscal year, he revealed. Earlier HEC chairman, Mr Javed Leghari was subjected to severe criticism due to exposing fake degree holder parliamentarians. Most of them are facing threats of quitting the parliament.

JIP demands that that High Commissioner of Pakistan in UK, Mr Wajid Shamsul Hassan , must immediately intervene into the situation and develop a contact with the affected students and provide immediate financial relief to them. The news of collecting donations during Friday prayers at London, to continue their studies, is highly deplorable and inhumane.

Iftikhar Chaudri
President
Journalists For International Peace
Islamabad, Pakistan
president@j4ip.org