Scholarships announced for Balochistan students

QUETTA: The Punjab government has announced 460 scholarships for students from Balochistan, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

According to an official statement, applications have been invited for scholarships under the Punjab Education Endowment Fund.

The initiative has been welcomed by the people of Balochistan, who expressed gratitude to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti stated that through collaboration between Punjab and Balochistan, doors to quality education have been opened.

He said the scholarship programme represents a significant step towards providing opportunities for students and will help improve educational standards while ensuring equal access for deserving candidates.

Bugti added that children from underprivileged backgrounds have been given access to education opportunities and that students from Balochistan will now study in leading educational institutions across Pakistan.

He further stated that Balochistan is progressing on the path of development and that quality education is a fundamental right of every child.

Earlier in February, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the government will invest $1 billion in Pakistan’s artificial intelligence (AI) sector by 2030 to build a future-ready digital economy and empower the country’s youth.

Addressing the inaugural session of Indus AI Week, the prime minister said the investment would help establish a robust AI ecosystem across Pakistan.

He announced that AI will be introduced into the curriculum of all federally run schools, while 1,000 fully funded PhD scholarships in AI will be offered to students from across the country by 2030.

In addition, the government will launch a nationwide programme to train one million non-IT professionals in AI skills to boost productivity and improve livelihoods.