Balochistan CM Mir Sarfraz Bugti Launches Comprehensive Scholarship Program Under Education Endowment Fund

Quetta: In a significant step towards realizing his education-friendly vision, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sardar Sarfraz Bugit has formally initiated the implementation of the province’s education reforms and scholarship programs. He emphasized that education is a top priority for the provincial government, with a focus on benefiting marginalized groups, including martyrs’ families and underprivileged communities.
A review meeting was chaired by CM Bugit to assess the overall performance of the Balochistan Education Endowment Fund (BEEF). During the meeting, CEO of BEEF, Muhammad Zakaria Noorzai, provided a comprehensive briefing on the fund’s performance, ongoing reforms, and the inclusion of five new scholarship categories under the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Scholarship Program.
In just eight months, the BEEF has awarded 25,000 scholarships based purely on merit to students across the province. Between 2019 and 2023, the fund successfully recovered 6.3 million rupees from various universities. The provincial government allocates an annual budget of 2.7 billion rupees for scholarships under this initiative. In addition to the six regular scholarship categories, five new scholarship categories have been introduced under the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Scholarship Program, benefiting students from various backgrounds.
A notable increase in the scholarship quota has been made for the families of martyrs, with the number of fully-funded scholarships for them raised to 400. The program has also extended scholarships to 35 transgender students for enrollment in different colleges and universities. Additionally, 37 students from minority communities have been enrolled out of 50 available scholarships, while 130 applications have been received for 180 scholarships dedicated to top performers in government schools across the districts.
The implementation of fully-funded PhD scholarships at the world’s top 100 universities has also commenced. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sadiq Public School has been finalized to further enhance educational opportunities in the region.
Chief Minister Bugit praised the efforts of the BEEF CEO and announced that a Certificate of Excellence would be awarded for his outstanding performance. He stressed that good governance is achieved when institutions perform excellently, and the provincial government remains committed to prioritizing education.
The CM further emphasized that some scholarships will be named after the province’s martyrs, with a focus on providing equal opportunities for both male and female students, without any discrimination. “An educated society is the backbone of a strong and vibrant community,” he concluded.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary of Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Secretary of Finance Imran Zarkoon, Principal Secretary to the CM Babar Khan, CEO BEEF Muhammad Zakaria Noorzai, and other relevant officials.