LAHORE: For intermediate and graduate students, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday launched the Rehmat ul Lil Alameen (PBUH) Scholarship Programme worth Rs417 million and also inaugurated its website at a ceremony held here on Monday.

While addressing the ceremony, the CM said that the scholarship amount will be expanded to Rs1 billion in the next budget. He further said that the launch of the Rehmat ul Lil Alameen (PBUH) Scholarship Programme is an honour, adding that respect, glory, honour and grandeur of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) cannot be expressed in words.

The CM announced that the scope of this scholarship will be expanded to other professional degrees, as 50 percent scholarships will be given on merit while the rest of the amount will be earmarked for needy and deserving students.

“Online verification has been arranged to ensure transparency and candidates could apply through their mobile while the higher education portal has been launched in collaboration with PITB. The scholarships will be provided through banks,” he added.

According to him, the scholarship fund will be enhanced every year and it is designed to give this scholarship through this mobile application. Students from government colleges and 30 public sector universities will benefit from this scholarship and students passing their intermediate will be given scholarships along with tuition fee. The quota of grade 1 to 4 employees of Punjab government has also been fixed.

The CM announced that the Rehmat ul Lil Alameen (PBUH) Chair will also be established in every district’s university along with the provision of PhD scholarships to highlight different aspects of the most blessed and revered personality and character of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

“It is deplorable that Muslims are, often, disheartened in some countries in the garb of freedom of expression. Faithfuls from around the world have strongly condemned such elements and deemed it fit to give a befitting reply. We have decided to officially celebrate Shan-e-Rehmat ul Lil Alameen (PBUH) Week every year in the month of Rabi ul Awwal,” he added.

Punjab Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun and Special Assistant to Chief Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan and senior officials were also present on the occasion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021