Shahbaz Sharif announces to enhance the annual grant of PEEF

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has announced to enhance annual amount of Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) from two billion rupees to four billion rupees and said that educational scholarships will be given to two lakh deserving talented boy and girl students during next one year. The Chief Minister also announced to give scholarships for MSc to the talented boy and girl students belonging to FATA on merit basis under PEEF and added that provision of resources for equipping the sons and daughters of the nation with education is not expenses but a useful investment for the bright future of the nation. Shehbaz Sharif said that he will not rest-content till every boy and girl of the country is provided education.

He made this announcement while addressing the function held on achieving the target of provision of educational scholarship to one lakh boy and girl students under PEEF at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, here today. Shehbaz Sharif said that scholarships have been given to intelligent boy and girl students of one lakh poor families on merit basis under PEEF for providing education and the next year, educational scholarships will be given to one lakh more deserving but talented boy and girl students for which the annual volume of educational fund is being increased from two billion rupees to four billion rupees. He said that not only Punjab but the less-privileged but hardworking and talented male and female students of Sindh, Balochistan, KPK, Azad Kashmir, FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan have been included in this splendid programme of provision of scholarships which is promoting national solidarity.

The Chief Minister said that if all units of Pakistan will progress, then Pakistan will progress and in view of this purpose, all units of the country have been included in educational programmes of Punjab. He said that one lakh sons and daughters of the nation have got educational scholarships under PEEF and five billion 61 crore rupees have been distributed among intelligent students from the income of this fund of billions of rupees.

He said that the doors of higher education have been opened for the talented students facing financial constraints through PEEF and today’s impressive ceremony has not been held in honour of the children of elite but in recognition of hard work. He said that such PEEF scholars are in the ceremony who born in poor families and got higher education through PEEF.

He said that these PEEF scholars are representing to those crore of Pakistani children instead of landlords, investors, politicians, judges, generals and senior officials whose parents despite difficult situation equipped their children with education and they are such great Pakistanis whose motto is hardworking, trust and honesty.

He said that these great people have been deprived of their rights since creation of Pakistan and the elite had snatched their right but Punjab government has provided them this right through PEEF and, no doubt, PEEF is the materialization of the dream of Quaid and Iqbal in the real sense. Shehbaz Sharif said that crores of children like PEEF scholars Nasir Mehmood, Saba Safdar and Irfan Samuel are in the country who have the desire of getting education but the poverty was hurdle in getting education and the doors of quality education are closed for them. This is not the reason that they are not intelligent and hardworking but they have no resources for getting education, he added. He said that Punjab government has set up biggest education endowment fund in the history of the world for such intelligent students through which opportunities have been provided for talented girl and boy students of poor families to get education in local and foreign prestigious educational institutions.

Mentioning the progress of China, the Chief Minister said that China has become the second big military and economic power of the world due to hardworking and continuous struggle and its foreign reserves are four trillion dollars whereas it has achieved average 9.9 percent growth rate during last 30 years and have brought 50 crore people out of poverty. He said that now Chinese development is famous in the world whereas after completing 68 years of our freedom, we are still only making promises of steering the country out of poverty, ignorance and unemployment.

He said that we mention sayings of Quaid and Iqbal but do not act upon. He said that those nations which took practical steps are now touching the heights of development. He said that Pakistan is rich in resources and despite hardworking farmers and the nation, Pakistan is still lagged behind the development which is a matter of pondering for us. Shehbaz Sharif said that we have started development journey under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and this caravan will march forward through PEEF scholars and we will achieve our destiny.

Referring to the cooperation of DFID in education, health and other sectors, the Chief Minister said that DFID is extending full cooperation in skill development, education and health sectors, upon which, we are thankful to it. He said that DFID is our partner in PEEF and is aware of our transparency and merit policy and knows that this educational fund is also free from any political interference. He said that the unconditional aid given by our friends is acceptable to us but conditional aid is not acceptable. He said that the cooperation of DFID in the programme of provision of scholarship is also unconditional.

Shahbaz Sharif thanked Vice Chairman PEEF Dr. Amjad Saqib, Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood, Secretary Education, Justice (R) Aamir Raza and PEEF Board of Directors with regard to educational endowment fund and said that if these people do not cooperate, his efforts does not bear fruit. He said that we will change the destiny of the country and the nation jointly and remover darkness of ignorance from the motherland and Pakistan will stand at its own feet.

Earlier, Vice Chairman PEEF Dr. Amjad Saqib Addressing the function said that today is a historic day when the target of one lakh scholarships has been achieved under PEEF. He said that seven years ago, this programme was started and lakhs of talented children are benefiting from this fund. He said that the promise and commitment made by Chief Minister Punjab has been fulfilled and PEEF has become the biggest fund of the country.

He said that intelligent children of the poor families are getting education in LUMS, NUST, FAST, GC and other local and foreign prestigious educational institutions through this fund. He said that Shehbaz Sharif has done a historic job by setting up PEEF, due to which, no poor but talented child will be deprived of education. He said that Shehbaz Sharif is a kindhearted and education-friendly Chief Minister and has written a new history by setting up PEEF.

Vice Chancellor Punjab University Dr. Mujahid Kamran said that PEEF has brought a revolution in education and lakhs of students are getting education through this fund. He paid rich tributes to Shehbaz Sharif as less-privileged students are getting higher education due to his efforts. He said that PEEF has become the biggest fund of the world. Ms. Judith Herbertson of UK Aid addressing the function said that PEEF is playing very important role in promotion of education and UK will continue its cooperation with Punjab for promotion of education. She said that efforts of Punjab government for promotion of education are commendable and due to dynamic leadership of Shehbaz Sharif, education sector has improved considerably in Punjab. She said that policies of Punjab government regarding promotion of education are bearing fruit

. She said that PEEF is helping in providing education to the children of poor families. She congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on setting up PEEF. She said that Punjab government has started excellent programme of “Parho Punjab—Barho Punjab” which will leave positive impact on education sector.

Minister of State Baligh-ur-Rehman, Vice Chairman PEEF Dr. Amjad Saqib, Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood, Chairman Higher Education Punjab Dr. Nizamuddin, Provincial Ministers, Members National and Provincial Assemblies, columnists, intellectuals, educationists, PEEF scholars, their parents, vice chancellors of universities, teachers and people belonging to all segments of society attended the function in large numbers.