Pakistani PhD students, pursuing their PhD studies in Turkey, are facing trouble due to stoppage of stipends from Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC). In a letter to the esteemed English daily The News (June 22, 2009), 15 Pakistani students studying at various Turkish universities complained about the HEC discontinuing their stipends, making them worried about paying their living costs.

The said students have been sent to Turkey for pursuing PhD studies on government funds. Each of them was getting a $300 monthly stipend from the HEC while the Turkish government also gives them $150 per month for helping with paying their expenses. However, the HEC suddenly stopped sending their stipends two months ago, giving them to dependency and concern about their future.

The students demanded of the government to resume funding for their studies and also increase the monthly stipend since $300, according to them, were insufficient for meeting their living costs in a place like Turkey. There are also reports of other PhD students, sent abroad on government scholarships, who are facing difficulty due to insufficiency of funds released by the HEC.