ISLAMABAD, Dec 20 :Coordinator General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary Friday said that his organization will continue provision of educational facilities to the Palestinian students.
He was speaking during a meeting with the newly appointed Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Zaheer Mohammad Hamadallah Zaid at the COMSTECH Secretariat.
The meeting included a detailed discussion on the ongoing fully-funded Scholarship Program for Palestinian students and other avenues for bilateral cooperation.
COMSTECH, in collaboration with the Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP) and member universities of the COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence, 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, while efforts are underway to bring more students to Pakistan.
During the meeting, Prof. Dr. M.Iqbal Choudhary highlighted the severe educational crisis caused by recent Israeli aggression, which has not only resulted in the loss of lives and livelihoods but has also disrupted education for Palestinian youth for years.
He stated, “We will not abandon our Palestinian students. COMSTECH is committed to utilizing all available resources to provide them with free, quality education at Pakistan’s top universities.”
He also announced COMSTECH’s plan to host an extraordinary conference of OIC Member States’ Ministers of Education to address Palestine’s educational crisis. The conference will focus on practical measures to support young Palestinian students.
Ambassador Dr. Zaheer Mohammad Hamdallah Zaid expressed his gratitude for COMSTECH’s initiative of offering 5,000 scholarships, describing it as a significant “practical assistance.”
He appreciated Pakistan and COMSTECH’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and their efforts to address the educational challenges faced by Palestinian students.
The ambassador assured full cooperation from the Palestinian Embassy to facilitate the process of bringing more Palestinian students to Pakistan through COMSTECH’s platform.
He also announced plans to visit various Pakistani universities under COMSTECH’s platform to explore further avenues for collaboration in the education sector. Additionally, he emphasized streamlining and expediting the scholarship selection process.
This meeting marks a significant step in strengthening educational ties between Pakistan and Palestine, with both sides committed to supporting Palestinian students during challenging times. The officials from both sides were also presented in the meeting.
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