Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday relaunched the provincial government's student laptop scheme after an eight-year hiatus, announcing the distribution of high-performance 13th-generation Core i7 laptops to top-performing students across the country, according to Express News.
Speaking at a ceremony at Lahore’s historic University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Nawaz inaugurated the first phase of the scheme by distributing laptops and engaging with students directly, instead of addressing them from the stage.
She also launched the second phase of the “Honahar Scholarship” programme, which will offer financial assistance to thousands of students.
Officials confirmed that an online portal has been set up for students from other provinces, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While Punjab will receive the largest share of the laptops, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be allocated 3,136, followed by Balochistan with 938, AJK with 517, and Gilgit-Baltistan with 410.
Under the Honahar Scholarship Phase II, students in their second to fifth year or third to eighth semesters will be awarded PKR 20,000 each. In Lahore Division, over 3,121 students from 27 public colleges, six medical colleges, and several universities will benefit from scholarships worth more than PKR 120 million.
Additionally, 14,000 students in Lahore Division will receive laptops under the scheme, with distribution occurring across 13 public universities, six medical colleges, and 27 higher education institutions.
The event also included a ceremonial guard of honour presented to students, while a special documentary on the laptop scheme and scholarships was screened. UET students performed patriotic songs in celebration.
During her address, Maryam Nawaz expressed her confidence in the youth’s potential, saying, “When Pakistan’s youth say ‘Qadam Qadam Abaad Rahe,’ then Inshallah, this land shall forever thrive.”
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