Court orders immediate release of scholarships to Peshawar University students

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has ordered the University of Peshawar to immediately release scholarship funds to deserving students under the Need-Based Scholarship Program (NBSP).

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Waqar Ahmed issued the directions while deciding two similar petitions filed by several students, including Gohar Ali, regarding non-payment of scholarships, stipends and fee waivers.

In its detailed seven-page judgment, the court also directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to arrange and release the remaining funds to the university as per the scholarship program.

The bench clarified that the university cannot withhold any more money.

“The University of Peshawar is further directed to immediately release all the funds received, or to be received, from the Higher Education Commission to the deserving students. The university will not retain such funds any further,” the order said.

The court observed that there was never any dispute over the eligibility of students for the scholarship. It said that the NBSP was created to help financially deserving students studying in public sector universities and financial hardship cannot be used as an excuse to deny them their dues.

The judgment stressed that the programme deserves priority as it helps underprivileged students complete their education and improve their future prospects.

During the hearing, the petitioners’ lawyers argued that their clients had been duly admitted to the university and were selected for the HEC-funded scholarship after completing the formalities.

They told the court that once selected, students become entitled to full tuition fee waiver and monthly stipend as per HEC policy for the entire duration of their academic programmes. Some of them had even received the initial instalments before the payments were stopped.

The petitioners’ counsel said that the lists of successful candidates have been approved by HEC and funds have been released to the university but the University of Peshawar has still failed to release the money. They alleged that the payments were stopped on the pretext of financial constraints and transfer of funds for other purposes.

In its written reply, the HEC said that it has already transferred the funds to the relevant financial circles and has informed the university accordingly.

The commission explained that under the programme, selected students are given a monthly stipend of Rs 6,000 with full tuition fee coverage, while students enrolled in five-year programmes are provided with funds for the entire duration of their studies.

The HEC maintained that since the money has already been transferred, any delay or non-payment now falls under the jurisdiction of the University of Peshawar.