ASHRAFF A SAMAD
COLOMBO- A total of 374 high-school leavers and graduates from all parts of the island and from all faiths got scholarships to pursue their higher studies in Universities spread out in Pakistan.Awards of the scholarships were presented to the successful students at a glittering ceremony held at the Exhibition Hall of the BMICH on Saturday, Oct,15.
Out of the 374, scholarships, 50 were for M. B. B. S degrees, 50- Engineering ,one for Phd, 20- M.Sc and for other courses. In his speech, Pakistan high commissioner Major General (R) Umar Farooq Burki, HI (M) said that despite the heavy floods in his country,” We came to offer these scholarships because of the strong bilateral relations maintained with friendly Sri Lanka.” In her opening speech, Dr Shaista Sohail, Executive Director of Pakistan Higher Education Commission told the packed audience that the selectees for the scholarships were carefully filtered from some 1400 applicants who were shortlisted out of an open public examination. Examinations were held in five principal cities in Sri Lanka, she said, recalling that the successful candidates were finally approved by the University Grants Commission.Pakistan has some 270 private and state universities in the country, she added. Hamdani Anver. Director – Tertiary Care Services Ministry of Health,who was a beneficiary of the Allama Scholarship said that he was able to achieve this position because of the educational facilities and services offered by Pakistan and he remains grateful to all scholars who made him what he is today..
