ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Thursday vowed to extend “practical support” to rehabilitate educational institutions in Palestine, the OIC’s Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) said.
Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, have killed over 44,000 Palestinians. Israel’s bombardment has dealt a heavy setback for education in the area, and according to a report by UNICEF, 625,000 children have been denied an entire school year in Gaza. With the conflict still ongoing, they face the high risk of a second year without education.
COMSTECH, in collaboration with the Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP), initiated a program in 2021 offering 500 fully funded scholarships and fellowships to Palestinian students. This number was increased to 5,000 scholarships in 2023. Many Palestinian students have already arrived in Pakistan under this program and are pursuing full-degree programs.
Siddiqui, along with COMSTECH Coordinator General Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, visited the Palestinian embassy in Islamabad to discuss matters related to education with Palestinian Ambassador Dr. Zuhair Zaid.
“He [Siddiqui] assured that Pakistan is committed to extending practical support for the rehabilitation of educational institutions in Palestine,” a press release by COMSTECH said.
The Pakistani minister reiterated his government and people’s steadfast support for Palestine, COMSTECH said.
“Sharing insights from his recent visit to Oman, he revealed discussions with educational ministers from other countries about joint actions to assist Palestine in the education sector,” it added.
Siddiqui said he has proposed convening an extraordinary meeting of the education ministers from OIC member countries in Islamabad to devise a “comprehensive long-term plan for supporting Palestine.”
Zaid expressed thanked the government, COMSTECH and people of Pakistan, the OIC body said.
“He acknowledged their steadfast support, emphasizing that these efforts will never be forgotten by the Palestinian people,” the statement said.
