Peshawar University Told to Release Scholarships Without Delay

The Peshawar High Court has issued a decisive ruling directing the University of Peshawar to immediately release pending scholarship payments under the Need-Based Scholarship Program (NBSP), bringing long-awaited relief to deserving students facing financial hardship. The verdict was delivered by a two-member bench comprising Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Wiqar Ahmad while hearing multiple petitions filed by students, including Gohar Ali, over delayed stipends, tuition fee waivers, and unpaid scholarship installments. In its detailed judgment, the court instructed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to ensure timely allocation of remaining funds and emphasized that scholarship money must be used strictly for its intended purpose. The court strongly observed that eligible students cannot be deprived of their rights due to administrative or financial excuses, especially when their selection under the program has already been verified. It further ordered the university to release all received funds without further delay. According to HEC, the allocated funds had already been transferred to the university, making the institution responsible for the delay. The NBSP provides Rs6,000 monthly stipends along with full tuition coverage, aiming to support underprivileged students in completing higher education without financial disruption.