Laptops bring new hope
\n PESHAWAR
\nWhen Ehtisham Qaiser, a postgraduate student at the University of Peshawar, used to spend long hours in crowded internet caf\u00e9s to complete his research, he never imagined that a small device of laptop could change his life. \u201cNow I can work from home, save money, and finish my studies faster,\u201d he said, a wide smile lighting up his face as he held his new laptop that is a gift under the landmark PM\u2019s Youth Laptop Scheme 2025.
\n\u201cThis is not just a gadget but it\u2019s a bridge to a new world of opportunity, education and economic empowerment of youth,\u201d he reiterated with great smile on face.
\nAcross Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including erstwhile Fata, similar scenes of joy and gratitude are unfolding as hundreds of thousands of students started receiving laptops under the fourth phase of the Prime Minister\u2019s Youth Laptop Scheme 2025, launched by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif the other day in Islamabad.
\nFrom the sprawling campus of the University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar to the serene valleys surrounding the University of Malakand, from Gomal University DI Khan to lush green University of Chitral, the students are celebrating laptop scheme what many call a lifeline for education in Pakistan\u2019s digital age.
\nMuhammad Saad, a student from Charsadda enrolled at the Agriculture University Peshawar, said that the laptop has done much needed support in his studies and also helped him earn for fulfillment of education expanses.
\n\u201cI am now teaching F.Sc. students online,\u201d he said proudly. \u201cIt\u2019s empowering to be both a learner and a teacher. The previous laptop I received under PM laptop scheme changed my life; this phase continues that journey.\u201d
\nUniversity professors also see the initiative as a long-term investment in national development.
\nProfessor Dr. Muhammad Naeem of Swabi University described the scheme as a continuation of the Prime Minister\u2019s long-standing vision for youth empowerment.
\n\u201cThis programme reflects a strong commitment to education and technology,\u201d he said. \u201cIt encourages students to explore fields like Artificial Intelligence, engineering, agriculture, architecture, fine arts, computer science, and information technology, which are areas that are shaping Pakistan\u2019s future.\u201d
\nFor many students in remote regions such as erstwhile Fata, the laptop scheme represents inclusion in a digital bridge connecting them to the world.
\nAli Jan Afridi, a student from FATA University, shared how receiving a laptop on merit restored his confidence and enhance his prestige.
\n\u201cThis programme gave me dignity and hope,\u201d he said. \u201cIt shows that talent matters, not where you come from.\u201d
\nStudents from entire KP region made similar sentiments, describing the scheme as a lifeline for those struggling with limited educational infrastructure and financial resources.
\n\u201cLaptops have become instruments of change,\u201d said Tasawar Hussain of Agriculture University Peshawar. \u201cThey connect us with knowledge, innovation, and the global academic community.\u201d
\nThe Prime Minister\u2019s Youth Laptop Scheme, first launched in 2010, has since distributed more than 100,000 laptops nationwide on merit, with an investment of over Rs 40\u201350 billion.
\nThe government has pledged Rs 500 billion for youth education, skills training, and empowerment which is a move officials describe as an investment in Pakistan\u2019s destiny.
\nHamza Khan, President of PML-N Nowshera, said the scheme is not about politics but investment on the country\u2019s youth irrespective of their political affiliation.
\n\u201cThis programme is not for personal glory,\u201d he remarked. \u201cIt\u2019s for the young citizens who will shape Pakistan\u2019s future.\u201d
\nHe said PMLN believed in practical work while our political opponents concentrate merely on slogans and negative rhetoric.
\nThe government has also announced collaboration with Saudi Arabia to train Pakistani youth in Artificial Intelligence, IT, and advanced technical fields which is a part of broader efforts to prepare a skilled workforce for the global economy.
\nBeyond the celebrations, the initiative symbolizes something deeper such as a belief that education, technology, and merit can drive national progress.
\n\u201cThe laptop is not just a tool,\u201d said Professor Naeem. \u201cIt\u2019s a message that the government trusts its youth to build the Pakistan envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.\u201d
\nAs the sun set over Peshawar\u2019s historic skyline, students logged into their new devices not merely as recipients of a government scheme, but as participants in Pakistan\u2019s evolving digital story.
\n\u201cI dedicate my success to my parents and to this opportunity,\u201d said Ali Afridi softly. \u201cWith this laptop, I am not just studying. I am dreaming bigger to serve Pakistan.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Laptops bring new hope PESHAWAR When Ehtisham Qaiser, a postgraduate student at the University of Peshawar, used to spend long hours in crowded internet caf\u00e9s to complete his research, he never imagined that a small device of laptop could change his life. \u201cNow I can work from home, save money, and finish my studies faster,\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-511867","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-peshawar"},"yoast_head":"\n