Dozens of Students on HEC Scholarships ‘Go Missing’ in Foreign Countries

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) is under scrutiny for either incompetence, weak policies, or possible mismanagement, as 97 students who were sent abroad on scholarships have absconded. These students had traveled to Europe, the USA, the UK, Canada, and Australia for their studies.

Under the guise of various foreign scholarship programs, these students have either disappeared or defaulted, leading to a financial loss of Rs 1.5575 billion.

Specifically, 97 students who were sent abroad on scholarships have vanished. Seventy students from the Overseas Scholarship Phase II program have gone missing after being sent to Europe, the USA, the UK, Canada, and Australia. The HEC spent Rs 830 million on educational expenses for the European scholarship, Rs 74.9 million for students going to the USA, and over Rs 170 million for those heading to the UK. Additionally, Rs 7.7 million was spent on travel expenses for the 70 students.

Moreover, 19 students from the Hardship Phase I Master’s Degree Scholarship program have disappeared, five students from the PhD scholarship program have absconded, and three students from the Fulbright Scholarship program have also gone missing.