Hundreds of Afghan students arrive in Pakistan on HEC scholarship

ISLAMABAD: As many as 350 Afghan students have reached Pakistan to pursue studies in top-tier Pakistani universities across diverse disciplines under HEC Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships to Afghan Students (Prime Minister’s Directives).

HEC held a reception to welcome the students at the HEC Regional Centre Peshawar, said a press release on Friday.

The development marks a significant milestone in academic cooperation and people-to-people relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The students will undergo a specially designed preparatory course before their admission in the fall semester. In addition, 50 PhDs and 100 Master’s students will also join in September, 2025 to pursue their education in Pakistan.

The Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships Programme is a mega initiative of the Government of Pakistan, under which 4500 scholarships are being awarded to Afghan students.

On their arrival, the students were received by In-charge HEC Regional Centre Peshawar Mr. Nasir Shah and Project Director Allama Iqbal Scholarships Programme Jehanzeb Khan. Representatives of National University of Technology (NUTECH) Islamabad and National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (NUCES-FAST) Faisalabad were also present on the occasion.

The Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships Programme reflects the shared commitment of Pakistan and Afghanistan to deepening educational collaboration with a spirit of Islamic brotherhood and neighborhood.

Project Director Jehanzeb Khan expressed his enthusiasm in hosting the scholars, stating, “We are honoured to welcome these young ambassadors of Afghanistan to Pakistan. Their presence will not only enrich our academic institutions but will also strengthen the cultural and strategic bond between the two nations.”