Merit is rule of law in Punjab: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that more than 200,000 girl and boy students, facing financial constraints, are being equipped with education through Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF), the biggest project of South Asia and in the history of Pakistan.

Scholarships worth Rs12 billion out of the income of this fund have been distributed so far on purely merit basis, he added. The chief minister said had this educational fund been established 70 years ago, instead of two lakh students, there would have been more than two crore brilliant students fulfilling their educational thirst today.

Talking to elected representatives, Shahbaz Sharif said that higher education is not merely legacy of the elite but the right of every child of Pakistan. He said that doors of higher education have been opened for the talented students of poor families through PEEF and not only Punjab but industrious students of underprivileged families from all over the country, including Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK are benefitting which nevertheless has promoted national solidarity and brotherhood.

The chief minister said one of the goals of establishing Pakistan is also providing equal educational opportunities and this fund is playing an imperative role in the fulfillment of this important objective of creation of Pakistan.

He said the Punjab government has laid the foundation of nation's brightest future by establishing PEEF and this fund is a successful story of hard work, trust and upright. He said this fund has opened the doors of standard education on the poor and is producing young doctors, engineers, bankers and teachers who are playing their active role in the development of the country.

He said merit is the rule of law in Punjab and like other programmes, it has been kept as criteria and scholarships are being distributed purely on merit basis. None of the chief minister, minister or parliamentarian can favour or recommend anyone rather this scholarship is achieved only on the basis of hard work. Children studying under this programme are bringing honour to Pakistan and we won’t allow financial resources to hurdle their way of attaining education, he added.