President Arif Alvi says Pakistan wants peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and will continue extending its all-out support in its rebuilding process. He was speaking at the Pak-Afghan cultural event, Payam-e-Subh, by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for Afghan students pursuing higher education in different universities of Pakistan.
The president said, “You are the elite and privileged ones. You have been given the opportunity to study in Pakistan. Go back to your country with better education and skills, as it is your responsibility to rebuild your country.”
Arif Alvi said that Afghanistan has gone through a lot of misery; however, the Afghan nation has proved that nobody can subjugate them.
He said that Pakistan and Afghanistan enjoyed strong brotherly relations and the two countries had always stood by each other.
“Nobody can defeat the friendly bonds between the two countries,” he affirmed.
The president said he regretted that the two countries have, unfortunately, suffered at the hands of poverty, rivalries, extremism and terrorism.
“Let’s act together against these common enemies. Afghanistan deserves peace and a huge rebuilding process awaits you. Pakistan will always be there to support you.” Appreciating the HEC for organising the cultural event, he said such events provided opportunities of cultural exchanges which improved communication among nations.
The president launched the logo of Allama Iqbal Scholarship for Afghan Students, an initiative of the government of Pakistan.
In his welcome address, HEC Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri stated that the Allama Iqbal Scholarship for Afghan Students not only provided opportunity to Afghan youth to study in top Pakistani universities, but it is also, a means to promote diversity on campuses.
Education was incomplete without exposure of students to diverse cultures, he said, adding that the programme also helped to build people-to-people contacts between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He noted that Pakistan and Afghanistan shared religious as well as cultural roots and the Pak-Afghan cultural event reflects commonness of the two societies.
Mr Rahimullah Qatra, Charge’ d’ Affairs, Embassy of Afghanistan in Pakistan, said, “We are grateful to the Government of Pakistan and the HEC for awarding scholarships to Afghan students, as the programme encourages Afghan students to study in Pakistan and become ambassadors of Pakistan in Afghanistan.”
He said Afghanistan, being proud of its cordial relations with Pakistan, is committed to expanding these bonds. He said Afghanistan acknowledges and thanks Pakistan for accommodating its refugees.
Mr Zahid Nasrullah Khan, ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan said that Pakistan accorded high priority to deepen people-to-people contacts between the two nations.
He said the government of Pakistan approved 100 scholarships for Afghan students on the recommendation of the Pakistan Embassy in Afghanistan and 17 percent of them are specified for female students, keeping in view the low literacy rate among Afghan women.