Maryam Nawaz launches Pakistan’s largest scholarship program at Sargodha University

Sargodha, January 8, 2025: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday launched the Honhaar Scholarship Programme, describing it as the largest educational initiative in Pakistan’s history. Speaking at a ceremony at Sargodha University, she distributed checks to the beneficiaries of the scholarship, emphasizing the government’s commitment to providing equal opportunities for students across the province.

During her address, Maryam Nawaz praised the hard work and dedication that went into launching the program and congratulated the students, their parents, and the educational institutions for their resilience in overcoming challenges to achieve this milestone.

“This scholarship is your right, and you should hold your heads high as you claim it,” she remarked, addressing the students present at the ceremony. She clarified that the Guard of Honour at the event was not meant for her but for the students, highlighting that their achievements were what mattered most.

The Honhaar Scholarship Programme aims to provide financial assistance to deserving students, and Maryam Nawaz assured the audience that scholarships were awarded based solely on merit, without any political interference. “Not a single scholarship out of the 30,000 awarded has been given through any recommendations,” she affirmed. She also clarified that students were not asked about their political affiliations during the selection process, stressing that in her eyes, all children in Punjab were equal.

“I view you not just as students, but as my children,” Maryam Nawaz said, expressing her maternal concern for the educational needs of young people in the province.