The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has resumed its foreign scholarship program that was on the shelf since last November due to lack of funding.
The commission’s executive director, Sohail H. Naqvi, told the newspaper that the government had released eight billion Pakistan rupees, or about $100-million, for the overseas scholarship program. Mr. Naqvi said about 340 students’ scholarships had been put on hold, even though most had been admitted to universities in New Zealand, Germany, Italy, and other European countries.
The November cancellation was widely condemned. In addition, the commission had not paid the tuition for students already enrolled at foreign universities. In February the government reversed itself, releasing 2.819 billion Pakistan rupees, or about $35-million, to pay the tuition of students already studying abroad.
ISLAMABAD-To minimise the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), people especially students from various academic institutions have been extending all out help for the suffering Pakistanis who are forced to vacate their areas in Swat, Buner and Malakand and are living in miserable condition. Relief camps are being established. In the federal capital, relief camps are set up in different educational and commercial localities and people are donating cash, blankets and many other essential items with great enthusiasm for the their brothers and sisters hailing from troubled areas of Swat and Malakand. Qauid-i-Azam University Islamabad (QAU), Pir Mehar Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Asghar Mall College and the students of Gordon College Rawalpindi are also busy in fund-raising campaign for the military operation victims. Karkunan of Islami Jamiat Talba, Insaf Students Federation, Annjaman Talba-e-Islam, Muslim Students Federation and People’s Students Federation are actively collecting donation from the students in the campuses. It was agreed that all universities would join hands in this day to mobilise all possible resources for IDP especially the students. HEC has announced to establish IDP Welfare auditable account for receiving contributions from the universities in Pakistan and committed one-day salary for the purpose. It was also recommended that internally displaced students will be exempted from the tuition and hostel fees and some subsistence allowance may also be offered to such students. Universities all across Pakistan also offered to accommodate displaced students in their programs free of cost.
The “More Human World Award” was conferred posthumously on former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto for her services in the field of democracy and humanity.
A special ceremony was held last evening in France where Benazir Bhutto’s daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari received the award on her late mother’s behalf, reported the Daily Times.
The award is given to people who render laudable services to humanity and play an important role in strengthening of democratic norms.
Benazir Bhutto worked for international peace, democracy and liberty during her life, the report said and added that the award was bestowed on Benazir to acknowledge her services.
As a major surprise for the beleaguered Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto’s niece Fatima Bhutto has come out in his open support, saying that both PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif were enjoying power even without being a member of the National Assembly.
Fatima, who still strongly believes that Zardari was behind her father Murtaza Bhutto’s murder, further alleged that their coterie of advisers was also not elected to the National Assembly.
Islamabad - A rap song written by the elder daughter of Pakistan's slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in which she pours out her grief, is making waves on video sharing website YouTube and in the international media, but hardly impresses at home.
"I Would Take the Pain Away" is the chorus Bakhtawar, 18, raps in English - a language understood only by Pakistan's small elite class.
As world shares the novice rapper's sorrow, the majority of Pakistanis are surprised by the teenager's atypical tribute to her mother. For the vast rural population steeped in Islamic religion, rap is something completely foreign.
"Anguish filled everyone's heart following Benazir's assassination, but a rap song to commemorate the tragedy is something unforeseen," said Abdul Majeed, as he scooped gravy at a roadside eatery in Islamabad. His reaction is probably typical for most Pakistanis.
Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is said to have released the song with an accompanying video to a newly-launched private television channel on the eve of the first anniversary of her assassination in a bomb-and-gun attack on December 27, 2007, at an election rally in Rawalpindi.
Film footage and still images traces Bhutto's last days as Bakhtawar tries to express her great loss and that of her siblings - Bilawal, 20, and Aseefa, 14.
The song was later posted on the video-sharing website YouTube and also repeatedly played on state-run Pakistan Television (PTV).
The fact that Bakhtawar's father, Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari, is now the country's president with the PPP leading a coalition government aroused a controversy over the song's airtime on PTV.
"Using the state media to air a personal tribute is utterly disputable," said Mohammad Farooq, a shopkeeper.
Still many believe the matter should not be adjudged in terms of politics.
"These are sincere words coming from a mourning daughter, who lost her parent to terrorism," computer engineer Salman Ahmed said.
Bakhtawar used "crazy courage" and "epitome of benevolence" as metaphors to recall Bhutto's return from eight years of self-exile to contest the elections, termed the final phase of transition to democracy by the then president, retired general Pervez Musharraf.
"My mother was murdered. I don't even comprehend. Was it worth dying for? I'm walking through screened doors," Bakthawar, a student at Britain's Edinburgh University, laments.
"No comfort or ease. I'm begging you please, God bless the deceased," she sings.
The teenager's first music production, which has been viewed by more than 50,000 people, attracted attention from international media, with dozens of reviews appearing this week.
"While Bakhtawar's dirge-like rap is unlikely to secure her a Grammy of her own, the seemingly heartfelt tribute might win her some fans," wrote British daily The Independent.
According to the newspaper, Bakhtawar is a keen music fan and was apparently encouraged to sing by her mother. She once asked a journalist friend in the US to introduce her to Grammy Award-winning rapper and music producer Puff Daddy.
"The tribute is sweet. But this girl isn't street," wrote a blogger, commenting on the teenager's efforts.
Pakistan's Minister for Information Sherry Rehman, who remained close to Bhutto until her death, said music was Bakhtawar's pastime but not a prospective career.
A few years ago, it was a trend of the young graduates applying for the scholarships and enrolling them to the foreign universities, more and more students appearing in the NTS - National Testing Service quizzes for different scholarships; most of them for foreign universities, and least of them strengthening the universities of the country.
I don't know what would be the future of those vacuumed in foreign countries, now as the funds to HEC - Higher Education Commission are no more available.
But a question I must ask, whether the returning folks from the foreign countries have the facilities of research, labs, and opportunities for grooming their work over here. NUST - National University of Science and Technology has acquired acres of land for campus in Islamabad, has offered number of scholarships to the students in foreign countries, but I don't think would have strengthened the laboratories and research tombs they are decorating these days.
I am the one who has witnessed the PC - 1 of the boundary wall for a 20,000 acres of Gomal University, and the laboratories & libraries of the university seems ghost houses. Hazara University is offering more than 65 degrees in different disciplines, but many of departments lacks basic necessities to proceed with practical work of under graduates.
I don't know what the hell would those Ph.D's do, when they'll back here, most of them expecting a massive salary packages in universities, not the research & development work they were expected for. Who would offer them same, when HEC is on it's knees!
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A few days ago, in a post, "Higher Education, Isn't it a waste?", which stated the folks getting in to the trouble, while higher education commission gets in to severe crisis after a cutoff in the budget. In a response to this post, few of my friends quoted it as a rubbish, that how can be the higher education a waste for the country, what actually is the reason that the higher education seems a waste to me. I would suggest that I am also in confidence that in Pakistan, the policies followed are most of the dumb shit. e.g. when higher education is being debated today, who cares about the primary and the secondary education. Millions of Dollars are being spent for the scholarships and the research purposes, but the conditions of the standard in the government schools and even in the most of the privately operated schools is pity. I would quote the conditions of the working days in primary education, if is average, the primary schools are operating for only 72 days in a year academically. I don't know how can students of such systems can be a better option for the higher education.
One of my friend wrote here that, "I fully agree isn't it a waste., better to have more ministers and people have the status of minister rather than giving scholarships to deserving students", for that my brother, I would only say that I am also not in favor of having a clone of ministers roaming here and there, with nothing to do, just like same I am also not interested and would not like to see a clone of Ph.D's wandering here and there in this country, like many of other unemployed young graduates, where the research institutions, laboratories and universities have nothing to do any thing. I have witnessed many professors just practicing a campus politics and kitty parties, as they don't have any work to do, because the laboratories and research facilities doesn't exist. I am only saying that, "Isn't it a waste, that existing professionals are doing nothing, and suppose many are yet to come!"
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Various scholarships are available to Pakistani students for studies abroad or within the country, especially at postgraduate level. A brief list of major scholarships and funding resources is provided below.
Details of various international & national scholarships:-
In the wake of a road accident involving a student of his institution, the principal of Government D J Science College on Wednesday urged the city nazim to issue orders for measures to minimize the chances of accidents on Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road.
According to the said college’s principal, Prof Ravi Shankar, a student of his college on bike was hit by a car near the college campus on Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road.
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Before student unions were banned by the Ziaul Haq dictatorship in 1984, their activities were conducted through regular annual elections in universities and colleges. Before student unions were banned by the Ziaul Haq dictatorship in 1984, their activities were conducted through regular annual elections in universities and colleges. Student politics in Pakistan has had a tumultuous but rich democratic history. Read more...
PSF Information Secretary punjab university Ali Ammar said, “The whole nation was waiting for this announcement. The credit goes to PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and the PPP government that forced Musharraf to resign,” he said, adding that late PPP chairwoman Benazir Bhutto had wanted to eradicate the roots of dictatorship from Pakistan. Read more...
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