The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has launched the Overseas Pakistanis Summer Scholars Programme under its URAAN Pakistan framework, inviting Pakistan-origin students and foreign national students studying abroad to return home and contribute directly to high-impact government projects as part of Pakistan’s ambition to build a trillion-dollar economy by 2035. The programme, titled Mitti Ki Pukaar, is being run in partnership with the Uraan Young Peace and Development Corps and the Youth Ki Uraan initiative, reflecting a coordinated effort to channel the talent and perspective of Pakistan’s diaspora youth back into the country’s public sector at a moment of significant national development activity.
The programme offers two tracks: a six-week placement with a stipend of PKR 100,000 and an eight-week placement with a stipend of PKR 120,000. Both tracks are open to Pakistan-origin students as well as foreign national students, broadening the initiative beyond the diaspora community to include international participants who wish to engage with Pakistan’s development agenda. Selected scholars will gain hands-on experience in policy making, development planning, and strategic initiatives, with direct mentorship from top public policy experts and senior government officials. They will also have the opportunity to contribute to transformative, high-impact public sector projects that form part of the URAAN Pakistan roadmap, giving participants a level of exposure to national governance rarely available through conventional internship programmes.
The programme is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2026, with applications open until June 15, 2026. The application form is available at https://forms.gle/r5Hp5qqzNUmrFnhi7, and interested applicants can direct queries to mittikipukaar@pc.gov.pk. The initiative represents a meaningful attempt to convert the intellectual capital of Pakistan’s overseas community into a practical national resource, while simultaneously offering diaspora students a structured and compensated pathway to reconnect with the country and contribute to its development trajectory at a pivotal moment in its economic ambitions.
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