basis of their riches (by paying heavy fees). PEEF has now taken up this responsibility for those high achievers in different faculties and disciplines whose parents can’t afford to pay tuition and other fees, given the high cost of higher education in private sector universities of the country. Knowledgeable circles say that higher education is not easily affordable even in some other countries of the world.
The nation feels proud of PEEF and the driving spirit behind it, Dr Amjad Saqib, whom the Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif calls a saint of the contemporary times. Of course, Dr Amjad Saqib is the man who possesses saintly qualities, given his humility, love for the humanity and the impoverished classes and given his passion to educate the deserving students on a large scale up to the highest level. This is indeed a big service to humanity as much as it is a big service to education.
Not much time has passed, Dr Amjad Saqib and I were both invited as Guests of Honour by Lahore police and its chief, CCPO Capt (R) Amin Wains. The noble thoughts of Dr Amjad Saqib vis-à-vis education turned up to be highly inspiring and invaluable.
In a country where institutions like PEEF are working incessantly to transform and enlighten the society, the country’s future can be vividly seen to be marvelous in the times to come.
According to PEEF literature available, following the grant of a huge amount by CM Shahbaz Sharif in line with his impassioned ‘Purrha Likah Punjab’ (Educated, Enlightened Punjab), the total fund capacity of PEEF has gone to Rs14 billion out of which Rs5.6 billion have been given to 100,000 students belonging to different provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan (the CM has in practice expanded the programme to whole of Pakistan).
One is certainly amazed to know about the high achievements of PEEF. This excellent performance in the education sector can be rightly called transformation as well as an end to class-consciousness (to some extent, class hatred) by way of which the highly talented students hailing from the impoverished families i.e. the ones living below the poverty line, had been deprived in the past from taking up higher education.
Education with honour, education with comfort and peace of mind seems to be the mission of PEEF.
(mianrehman1gmail.com)