CM Usman Buzdar launches Seerat Scholarship Programme

LAHORE:Chief Minister Usman Buzdar launched Rehmat-ul-Lil Alameen (PBUH) Scholarship Programme and inaugurated its website at a ceremony held at his office here on Monday. Under this scholarship programme, 14,891 students of Intermediate and BS (Hons) programmes will be given scholarships worth Rs 41.70 crore and the amount will be expanded to Rs1 billion in the next budget.

Addressing the ceremony, the CM said the launch of the Rehmat-ul-Lil Alameen (PBUH) Scholarship Programme was an honour, adding that respect, glory, honour and grandeur of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) could not be expressed in words. The immaculate character and glory of Holy Prophet (PBUH) could not be expressed in words, he continued.

The CM announced that the scope of this scholarship would be expanded to other professional degrees as 50 percent scholarship would be given on merit while the rest of the amount would be earmarked for needy and deserving students. Online verification has been arranged to ensure transparency and candidates could apply through their mobile while the higher education portal has been launched in collaboration with PITB, he said and added that scholarships will be provided through banks. The scholarship fund would be enhanced every year and it was designed to give this scholarship through this mobile application. Students from government colleges and 30 public sector universities would benefit from this scholarship and students passing their intermediate would be given scholarships along with tuition fee, he added.

Meanwhile, the CM said that the quota of grade 1 to 4 employees of the Punjab government had also been fixed. The CM announced that the Rehmat-ul-Lil Alameen (PBUH) Chair will also be established in every district’s university along with the provision of PhD scholarships to highlight different aspects of the most blessed and revered personality and character of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is deplorable that Muslims are, often, disheartened in some countries in the garb of freedom of expression.

Faithful from around the world have strongly condemned such elements and deemed it fit to give a befitting reply. We have decided to officially celebrateShan-e-Rehmat-ul-Lil Alameen (PBUH) Week every year in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, he said.

A number of ceremonies were held and I also announced the Rehmat ul Lil Alameen (PBUH) Scholarship Programme, he added. Holy Prophet (PBUH) always stressed learning knowledge and the same has been emphasised in the Holy Quran, he added.

Every effort must be made to quench the thirst for knowledge as the countries following a culture of knowledge and research are known in the world. It is deplorable that Muslims countries fall below the list of developed countries. In line with the directions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), promotion of knowledge has been prioritised and not only scholarships are provided but nine universities, numerous colleges and hundreds of schools are built and upgraded, he said.

The PTI government is committed to establishing a university in every district, he added. The world history is unable to present another example of the city State of Madina where equality, justice and accountability principles benefitted every citizen. Following this principle, shelter homes and almonries were established to facilitate the needy, he said.

This model is being followed from Attock to Rajanpur and Punjab has the honour to take lead in this regard, he said. Higher Education Minister Raja Yassir Humayun Sarfraz and others also spoke. Special Education Minister Muhammad Ikhlaq, SACM Firdous Ashiq Awan, Chief Secretary, Secretary Information, DGPR and others attended the meeting.