Pakistan HC clarifies funding for Bangladeshi students under Allama Iqbal scholarships

DHAKA: The Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka has clarified that Bangladeshi students selected for master's programmes in Pakistani universities under the Allama Iqbal Scholarships will receive financial support equivalent to that provided to other qualifying scholarship recipients.

The clarification came in response to media queries over an apparent disparity in the financial support arrangements communicated to students selected for master's programmes.

The High Commission said the modalities for disbursing financial support to master's students may differ from those for undergraduate students, but stressed that all qualifying students under the scholarship programme would receive equivalent financial support.

The scholarship scheme is a key component of the Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor, a flagship initiative announced by Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar during his visit to Dhaka in August 2025.

The initiative aims to expand educational cooperation and strengthen people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

According to the Pakistan High Commission, the programme is progressing towards its objectives. A total of 74 Bangladeshi students joined top-ranking universities in Pakistan last year as members of the first batch.

For the second batch, more than 3,000 students appeared in the admission test, of whom 125 qualified for undergraduate programmes, 22 for master's programmes and 14 for PhD programmes.

The selected students are expected to join their respective universities in Pakistan after completing the necessary formalities, the High Commission said.

The mission reiterated Pakistan's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Bangladesh across various areas, including education and people-to-people exchanges.