The “Kalash” is the most unique ethnic and religious minority of Pakistan has an outstanding universal value. Owing to this value, the Kalash culture has been listed by UNESCO for consideration as World Heritage Site. The Kalash Valley is located in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and it lies 35° 41´ N; 71° 40´E at 2800 m elevation, an administrative part of District Chitral, 376 KM from Peshawar and approximately 500 KM from Gilgit.
The Kalash people have been living with the Muslims in this region for a long period of time, and had been under Muslim rule most of this period. In spite of being a small minority community, surrounded by the Muslims from all sides, they still are able to sustain their religious ideas and practices to display the most colorful way of living and celebrating their unique culture in modern world. On the other hand the Kalash do not have any solid ideological foundations. Their religious practices and customs are based on some mythological ideas along with nature, animal and ancestor veneration.
Many steps have been initiated by the government to preserve their unique culture but hitherto little has been done to promote the Kalash people in modern lines at the same time preserving the unique features of their culture. The PTI led Provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seriously taken this neglected aspect and the Chief Minister has personally allocated funds amounting to Rs.5M for establishing scholarship in the University of Chitral with an aim of aiding the Kalash students in pursuit of higher studies. This will not only make these students self-sufficient but it will also bedeck the Kalash youth with higher education at their doorstep while preserving and promoting their ethnic and cultural identity. The terms and conditions for the scholarship are given below: –
Eligibility:
- The candidate must belong to the Kalash Tribe.
- The candidate must fulfill the minimum eligibility criteria of the University of Chitral from admission into BS 4-Year or Master 2-Year Programme.
Number of Scholarships:
There are maximum 25 scholarships for BS and Master Programmes which will be equally distributed between these two programmes. However, for genuine cases (to be ascertained by the scholarship committee) the symmetry will be tilted in favor of either program.
Scope:
The scholarship covers admission fee, tuition fee, examination fee and / or hostel charges, provided that the student resides in the University Hostel.
Duration:
The scholarship will be effective for the deserving / eligible students taking admission during the sessions 2017-18 and 2018-19 only.
Download:
Click here to download the application form of CM’s Scholarship for Kalash.