2nd Phase of Honhar Scholarship Program Launched

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has inaugurated Phase II of the Honhar Scholarship Programme, which will cover the educational expenses of 30,000 students annually for the next four years.

Speaking at a FAST National University of Computer and Engineering Sciences, Islamabad ceremony, the chief minister stated, “This program allows talented students to pursue higher education at premier institutions without financial worries. The Punjab government will fully fund the educational expenses of deserving students under this initiative.”

She further explained that the scholarships are being provided to students from 65 universities, 12 medical and dental colleges, and 359 colleges across Punjab. Students in 68 different fields of study can benefit from the program, which supports those under 22 years old with Punjab domicile, provided their parents’ monthly income is below Rs300,000.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasized the program’s transparency, noting that applications were processed through an online portal. A provincial-level committee and institutional committees conducted the scrutiny, all overseen by a steering committee led by Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

She highlighted the program’s milestones, including its first ceremony at the University of Punjab, where scholarships were awarded to 2,473 students, and the second event at FAST University Islamabad, where scholarships were distributed to 2,570 students from the Rawalpindi division.

The chief minister also noted that 1,886 scholarships were awarded to students of UET Lahore. Of the total scholarships distributed, 1,660 were given to public-sector university students, and 637 to private-sector university students.