Maryam relaunches laptop scheme

LAHORE: After nearly eight years, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday relaunched the laptop scheme (phase-I) and Honhaar scholarship (phase-II) during a ceremony at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore.

For the first time, students will receive 13th-generation Core i7 laptops. Under the laptop scheme, 14,000 students across 13 government universities, six medical colleges, and 27 higher education institutions in the Lahore Division have been selected. In a first, 5,000 students from other provinces, including 3,136 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 938 from Balochistan, 517 from Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and 410 from Gilgit Baltistan, will also receive laptops via an online portal.

The Honhaar Scholarship Phase-II will provide 20,000 scholarships for students from two-year programmes to 3rd-8th semesters of degree courses. Over Rs120 million will be distributed among 3,121 students of 27 government colleges, six medical colleges and various universities in the Lahore Division.

Maryam said 60pc of recipients are female students — a statistic she proudly celebrated. She emphasized inclusivity by calling on other provinces to follow Punjab’s lead in providing laptops, scholarships, and e-bikes. The CM noted that 100,000 applications were received for laptops and assured that 100,000 laptops will be distributed annually on merit.

Reiterating her unwavering support for the Pakistan Army, she said, “There is tension on the borders, but we must not fear. Our brave sons, daughters, and the entire nation stand with our Army. The love our youth have for Pakistan gives me immense hope for the future.”