ISLAMABAD/KARACHI, FEB 20: /DNA/ – A welcome ceremony was held in honour of the Sri Lankan students studying in Pakistani universities under Allama Iqbal Scholarships for Sri Lankan Students at the Governor House, Sindh. Governor Sindh Mr. Muhammad Kamran Khan Tessori graced the occasion as a chief guest. The Allama Iqbal Scholarships for Sri Lankan Students is a component of the Pak-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme, being executed by Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan. Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Consul General Sri Lanka and Vice Chancellors of Sindh universities attended the ceremony. Addressing the students, Mr. Kamran Khan Tessori shed light on the importance of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He urged the universities to extend maximum facilities to international students. He advised the students to learn about the Pakistani languages and culture and take back good memories of Pakistan with them. The Chairman HEC informed the audience that HEC is offering 1,000 scholarships to Sri Lankan students. He said that 350 fully-funded scholarships have already been awarded to Sri Lankan students who studying in top Pakistani universities. He announced that HEC would launch induction for the 5^th batch of Allama Iqbal Scholarships on February 24, 2023 during the Pakistan Higher Education Expo in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan students aspiring to study in Pakistan under this scholarship programme will be able to apply online, he underlined. The Consul General of Sri Lanka to Pakistan thanked the Government of Pakistan for extending strong support to Sri Lankan students. He also appreciated the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to maintain the Buddhist and Gandhara civilizations in Pakistan. He also highlighted the salient features of bilateral friendly relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Principal Secretary to Governor Sindh Dr. Syed Saif ur Rehman also expressed his views on the occasion.