Govt paying stipend to Afghan students for higher edu: Qadir Baloch

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Red Crescent Society has made an appeal to the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for help in the treatment of over 600 children suffering from different serious diseases.

The appeal was made by an Afghan delegation led by the ARCS President Dr Mirwaiz Akram and Director General Dr. Nilab Mubariz during a meeting with Federal Minister for Safron Lt. Gen. (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch at his office here.

Chairman PRCS Dr Saeed Elahi headed the delegation. The PRCS Secretary General Ghulam Muhammad Awan was also present on the occasion.

The federal minister accorded a warm welcome to the delegation.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Saeed Elahi said both the Societies were cooperating with each other for the welfare and education of Afghan refugees in Pakistan while working within their domains.

The minister told the Afghan delegation that the government was imparting technical education to the Afghan students under a three-month program.

He said the Afghan students desiring to study further in Pakistan were not only enrolled with the higher education institutions without any hindrance, but also given stipends to concentrate fully on their studies without having to worry about finances.

Thanking the minister, Mirwaiz Akram said the Afghan people were deeply indebted to the government and people of Pakistan for their services and sacrifices for them. He said the Afghan people considered Pakistan as their second home.

Dr Akram said the wide and extensive sphere of the PRCS humanitarian services, especially its ambulance service, had deeply inspired them.

He said over 600 Afghan children were suffering from different serious diseases and wished their treatment through the good offices of the PRCS.

He also expressed desire for cooperation with the PRCS in different fields.

Dr. Nilab Mubariz said she was deeply inspired by the PRCS services like the ambulance service, blood collection and donation, measures against dengue and polio and quick response during emergency situations.

She said the PRCS School Safety Program was a wonderful initiative and they had made up their mind to also introduce it in Afghanistan with the cooperation and assistance of Dr. Saeed Elahi.

Dr. Saeed Elahi said the PRCS was going to set up a latest hospital in Kabul with the cooperation of Government of Pakistan that will contribute a lot towards reducing the Afghan patients’ influx in the Pakistani hospitals.