Islamabad, August 6, 2024 – The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan is facing serious allegations of incompetence and weak policy implementation in its management of scholarship schemes. Reports suggest that over Rs1.55 billion (approximately $7 million) may have been misappropriated under these programs.
The controversy centers around 97 students who were sent abroad on scholarships but have reportedly absconded and failed to return to Pakistan. These students were dispatched to various destinations including Europe, the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia.
Detailed financial disclosures reveal significant expenditures, including Rs8.3 million (around $38,000) allocated for European scholarships, Rs7.49 million (approximately $34,000) for US scholarships, and over Rs17 million (about $77,000) for UK scholarships. Additionally, Rs0.77 million (around $3,500) was spent on travel expenses for 70 students.
Further scrutiny has uncovered that 19 students from the one-year master’s degree “Hardship Fee” scholarship program, 5 PhD scholars, and 3 Fulbright scholars have also gone missing after being sent abroad.
The HEC has yet to address these allegations publicly, and the situation raises concerns about the oversight and effectiveness of the commission’s scholarship management.
For more information, please visit our related stories:
