The Government of Pakistan through its High Commission in Sri Lanka has awarded scholarships to 182 meritorious Sri Lankan students of A/Ls under the prestigious Jinnah Scholarship program.
The award ceremony was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) on April 23, 2018 with the presence of a large gathering including, the Vice Chancellor University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Prof. Sampath Amaratunga, Vice Chancellor University of Moratuwa, Prof. K.K.C.A. Perera, Ven. Bhante Olande Ananda, Rev. Fr. Quintus Fernando and parents of the successful students.
Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC), Sri Lanka, Prof. Mohan de Silva was the chief guest at the occasion.
High Commissioner of Pakistan Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat, addressing the gathering, said, Pakistan and Sri Lanka share an important and growing relationship, which is built on strong people-to-people links. He congratulated the awardees for their achievements and expressed hope that they would continue to excel in their academic pursuits. He reiterated Pakistan’s continued support to Sri Lanka in enhancing the younger generation’s nation building capacities with better educational opportunities.
The High Commissioner further highlighted that in addition to the Jinnah Scholarships, the Government of Pakistan offers scholarships in Medicine, Engineering, Pharmacy, Dentistry, etc. to Sri Lankan students, to pursue higher education in Pakistan, every year.
Prof. Mohan de Silva, in his speech, paid a rich tribute to the Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah for his efforts in the creation of Pakistan. He recalled the robust Pak-Lanka relations and appreciated the Jinnah Scholarship scheme which has benefitted numerous Sri Lankan students since its inception.
The Government of Pakistan has been awarding the Jinnah Scholarships since 2006. During the past 13 years approximately, 1,500 scholarships have been awarded.