Scholarship distribution ceremony: Modern education termed vital for progress

CHITRAL: The speakers at a function held here in connection with distribution of scholarships among the position holders of matriculation examination reiterated that the religious leaders fervently patronized modern education, which they termed inevitable for progress and prosperity. The scholarships to the top six position holders of matriculation examination are given every year by Qari Faizullah, the president of a Karachi-based seminary, Madrassa Imam Muhammad, since the year 2003 regularly.

Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq, khateeb of Shahi Masjid Maulana Khaleequz Zaman, DEO (male) Shahid Hussain, DEO (female) and others gave away the Iqra Award and scholarship money to the recipients.

The students winning Iqra scholarships included Sultanul Arifeen of GHS Sweer (first), Naveedul Haq GHS Werkup (second) and Sahibzada Samin of GHS Zondrangam (third) in the category of public sector schools while in the category of private sector schools, the first prize was shared by Ariba Nawaz of Langland school, Zainab Bakhtiyar and Owais Sarwar of Frontier Corps School Drosh. The second prize of the category went to Saida Shafia of Frontier Corps School Chitral while the third prize was shared by Urooj Ali of Qutaiba Public School and Sheema Musarrat of Frontier Corps School Drosh. Every year, Iqra scholarship of Rs20,000 is given to a Kalash student which was won this year by Arina Imran of GHS Rumbur.

Speaking on this occasion, the deputy commissioner appreciated the zeal and zest shown by Qari Faizullah who instilled competition in the students and it was a manifest of his farsightedness who felt that the backwardness of an area can be removed through education.

He said the scholarships granted every year by a cleric was enough to dispel the impression that the religious leaders did not differentiate between the modern education and the religious one. The speakers said that Qari Faizullah patronized the people in all walks of life and also rushed to the rehabilitation of the victims of natural disasters during the last couple of years in different parts of Chitral when flash floods and earthquakes rendered thousands of families homeless.