ISLAMABAD: Rohul Amin was 18 when, in 2015, his father, the sole breadwinner of a 12-member family, died in the eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan when his vehicle struck a roadside improvised explosive device. Violence had put Rohul’s future in a state of uncertainty, like that of many Afghans of his generation, and his dreams of an education were put on hold.
“However, a close friend told me to apply for Pakistani-funded scholarships in which I got selected. I’m now studying business administration at the Institute of Management Sciences in Peshawar,” he said.
Amin is studying under a program introduced by the Pakistan Government to provide 3,000 scholarships to Afghans to study in the country.
Pakistan is host to generations of Afghan refugees who, over the years, have fled war and strife and have spent years living in the country.
Despite the strong ethnic and familial bonds between the populations, relations between the two countries have been strained over the past few years. Both countries blame each other for cross-border terrorist attacks, owing to the porous border between the two neighbors.
Last month, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan pledged to grant citizenship to Afghan refugees born in Pakistan, an announcement appreciated by many but met with fierce opposition by others. Even the prime minister’s own coalition partner, Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s BNP, threatened to withdraw its support for the government over the proposal.
Many in Pakistan believe that Afghan refugees should be repatriated to their home country since Pakistan’s economy cannot continue to sustain the burden of hosting such a huge population. This scholarship program, which was introduced in September 2015, is viewed as an alternative way to help Afghans rebuild their own country.
Speaking to Arab News, Jahanzeb Wazir, project director of the Afghan Scholarship Program, said about 600 medicine, 600 engineering and 1,200 general discipline scholarships would be given at undergraduate level. And 400 MS and 200 PhD scholarships would also be awarded to Afghan nationals, he noted.
Wazir hoped that education facilities for Afghans in Pakistan would provide them with an opportunity to take an active part in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of their country.
Painda Mohammad Hikmat, adviser to Afghanistan’s chief executive officer of national unity government, said provision of scholarships for Afghan students is commendable, and will help remove barriers to improve bilateral ties.
“These kinds of (educational) opportunities will help Afghans to navigate their country to peace and stability,” Hikmat hoped.
How effective Pakistan’s contribution can be is yet to be seen.
Yasir Hikmat, another Afghan student who won the scholarship, said he is studying for a degree in computer science in Abbottabad but suggested Islamabad increase the volume of the project to beat illiteracy and militant tendencies in his war-ravaged country.
“I am feeling thrilled to be here for studies. It is a huge contribution by Pakistan but I still believe the need of Afghanistan is much more to improve its literacy rate,” Yasir added.