KARACHI: The Karachi chapter of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Thursday described the launch of an “Education Card” programme in Gulberg Town as a “historic and far-reaching step” to support students, saying the town had become the first in the country to introduce such a facility.
Addressing a press conference alongside Gulberg Town Chairman Nusratullah, JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar said JI Pakistan Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman would distribute the Education Cards among deserving students at a special ceremony scheduled for May 9.
He said education formed the backbone of national progress and prosperity, and stressed that Pakistan’s future could only be secured by ensuring access to quality education for the younger generation. He expressed concern over the state of the education sector, citing official figures that place 26.2 million children aged between five and 16 out of school across Pakistan, including 7.8 million in Sindh.
Referring to public schools in the province, he said that of Sindh’s 41,000 government schools, 76 per cent lacked electricity, 25 per cent had no washrooms, and many did not even have boundary walls. He added that education had never remained a consistent priority for successive governments.
Explaining the initiative, Monem Zafar said each student registered under the Education Card programme would receive financial assistance of up to Rs10,000 to purchase textbooks, uniforms, stationery and other educational supplies. Students from both public and private institutions would be eligible, while the entire process would be managed through an online and digital application system to ensure transparency.
The programme is intended for students from 22 blocks of Federal B Area falling under Gulberg Town.
He further said that Gulberg Town had taken the lead among JI-run towns in restoring educational institutions, claiming that the town administration had renovated 11 institutions and established four model schools so far. Over the past nearly three years, he added, JI had restored 75 out of 145 schools across its nine towns in Karachi, leading to a 33 per cent increase in enrolment.
Highlighting other educational efforts, he said thousands of students had benefited from the “Parho Parhao” campaign, while around 450,000 students had registered under the “Bano Qabil” project, with 75,000 youth currently enrolled.
Monem Zafar said that if such results could be achieved despite limited resources and authority, there was no reason governments could not do the same. He reiterated that Karachi’s problems required honest and capable leadership for sustainable solutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Sohail Aziz, president of the Pakistan International Business Forum Karachi, announced a donation of Rs3.5 million for the initiative. Representatives of the Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry, Abdullah Abid and Masroor Alvi, announced an additional contribution of Rs3 million from industrialists. Aziz said the business community had initially planned to donate Rs1 million, but increased the amount after witnessing the town administration’s commitment to education.
Gulberg Town Chairman Nusratullah said the Education Card initiative had set a positive example at a time when education was becoming increasingly commercialised, and expressed hope that it would help build a stronger foundation for the future and contribute to the development of an educated society.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments