CM Maryam Nawaz revives Punjab’s laptop scheme after 8 years

LAHORE: In a major move, Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz has relaunched the much-awaited laptop scheme for students, marking its return after a gap of 8 years.

This time, students will be equipped with the latest 13th generation Core i7 laptops, aimed at enhancing their academic performance. Moreover, the government has introduced the second phase of the Meritorious Scholarship Programme, which provides financial assistance to deserving students.

The first phase of the laptop scheme was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore. As per her instructions, a similar scheme has been extended to students from other provinces.

A total of 5,000 students from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also benefit from the scheme. Officials revealed that 3,136 students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will get laptops, while 938, 517 and 410 students from Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will benefit respectively.

Maryam Nawaz, while emphasizing the importance of education and technology, said that the initiative aims to bridge the digital divide and provide young minds with the tools they need to excel in an increasingly technology-driven world. During the inauguration ceremony at UET Lahore, she also sat among the students, before her presidential address to interact with them.

As part of the scholarship initiative, the Meritorious Scholarship Phase 2 will provide Rs. 20,000 to students enrolled in the second to eighth semester. A total of Rs. 120 million has been allocated for 3,121 students from 27 government colleges, six medical colleges and three universities in Lahore division.

The scheme has also been extended to 14,000 students in Lahore Division, with laptops being distributed in 13 government universities, six medical colleges and 27 higher education institutions.

Special ceremonies were held in honour of the awardees where the students were presented with a guard of honour by the police. The ceremony included a special documentary on the laptops and scholarship schemes, with patriotic songs performed by UET students.