Pakistan

Universities contribute over Rs500m for Turkiye quake relief

High-level delegation from 18 universities participates in Eurasian Higher Education Summit in Istanbul under auspices of Private Sector Universities Pakistan

APP Mar 04, 2023

<p>Rescue workers and volunteers pull out a survivor from the rubble in Diyarbakir. PHOTO: AFP</p> — Rescue workers and volunteers pull out a survivor from the rubble in Diyarbakir. PHOTO: AFP

Pakistani universities have pledged Rs500 million for earthquake relief activities in Turkiye.

A 34-member high-level delegation from 18 universities participated in the Eurasian Higher Education Summit in Istanbul under the auspices of Private Sector Universities Pakistan (APSUP).

The universities pledged more than Rs500m for the earthquake-affected areas of Turkiye, which would be spent on relief, rehabilitation, and scholarships for students from the affected areas.

During the summit, a Pakistan Pavilion was set up, and the chairman of APSUP, Prof Dr Abdul Rehman, along with Superior University Rector Prof Dr Sumaira Rehman, handed over a cheque of 400,000 Turkish lira to Elif Aydin, vice chairman of the Board Anatolian Education and Cultural Foundation, Turkiye.

Prof Dr Aydin expressed his gratitude to APSUP and the Pakistani nation for their continued support to the Turkish people, especially during hard times.

Several universities in Pakistan extended their support to the earthquake-affected people of Turkiye.

The University of Lahore donated $1 million in the form of 150 tons of edibles, fireproof and waterproof tents, blankets, and medicines.

The University of Faisalabad donated $110,00 for community services, and a 20-member team from the university participated in rehabilitation activities in the affected areas.

The University of Sialkot and the International Institute of Science, Arts, and Technology Gujranwala jointly announced scholarships worth Rs10 million for Turkish students affected by the earthquake.

Under the University of Management and Technology Lahore Scholarship Program for Turkey, scholarships worth $1 million will be awarded, with special preference given to students from the affected areas.

The coordinator general of Comstech, Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Chaudhary, who was also part of the delegation, offered fully funded scholarships and research fellowships to Turkish nationals severely affected by the earthquake, in collaboration with APSUP and member universities of Comstech Consortium of Excellence.