Syed Muhammad Yaseen
Quetta: In a significant development, Governor Balochistan Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail has written an open letter to PMDC urging the immediate restoration of 333 reserved medical seats for students from Ex-FATA and Balochistan under the HEC Scholarship Program.
The letter comes after widespread social media campaign from HEC aspirants against PMDC’s recent decision to reduce the medical seats from 333 to 194 – a move that threatens the future of hundreds of deserving students from marginalized regions.
Governor Mandokhail expressed serious concerns over the seat reduction, calling it an injustice to underprivileged students. He emphasized that the original 333 seats must be restored to ensure equal educational opportunities for students from conflict-affected areas.
Student organizations, including Students Nexus by SMY, have appreciated the Governor’s intervention, urging authorities to increase the seats to 500 instead of reducing them.
A crucial meeting between HEC aspirants and PMDC and HEC authorities is scheduled in Islamabad, where students will continue their struggle for their educational rights.
The issue has sparked a viral social media campaign under the hashtag #SaveHECSeats, demanding justice for students of Ex-FATA and Balochistan.
The author is MBBS student and founder of Students Nexus by SMY, an educational platform advocating for students rights.
