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LAHORE, Sep 30 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated Phase-II of the Honhaar Scholarship and Laptop Scheme in Chakwal, announcing a series of ambitious initiatives to strengthen education and youth development across the province.
Addressing a large gathering of students, the CM announced the distribution of 80,000 scholarships next year along with 118,000 Core i7 laptops, said a handout issued here.
She also declared that students from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be included in the programme to ensure equal educational opportunities nationwide. To address malnutrition, she further announced provision of dates to students in government schools located in affected areas.
CM Maryam Nawaz revealed plans for the establishment of 6,000 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) labs and Schools of Eminence across Punjab. For Chakwal city, she announced the launch of electric buses and directed provision of transport for college and university students to remove barriers in accessing education.
The CM said that scholarships and laptops are being awarded purely on merit, without political or personal recommendations. She noted that more than 27,000 applications for laptops have been received from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan alone, underlining the popularity and reach of the initiative. She appreciated the hard work of parents, stating that students have earned these opportunities through dedication and should receive them with pride.
The CM announced introduction of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Punjab’s education system, drawing on her experiences from visits to China and Japan. She further said that state-of-the-art cancer treatment facilities, including modern Co-Ablation machines, are being introduced in Rawalpindi Division, while a cancer treatment centre has already become functional in Sargodha. Under the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar initiative, she added, 90,000 houses are being constructed within eight months.
CM Maryam Nawaz also noted that crime rates in Punjab had decreased with the establishment of the Crime Control Department (CCD) and stressed the government’s commitment to building a province where women feel safe and protected. She reiterated that education, health, and infrastructure remain her foremost priorities, assuring that all provincial resources would be dedicated to fulfilling the dreams and aspirations of the youth.