ISLAMABAD - The 4th graduation ceremony of Higher Education Commission (HEC) Scholars was organised here at the HEC auditorium to confer degrees on successful candidates of last two batches of MS Programme Korea.Choongjoo CHOI, Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Pakistan graced the occasion as guest of honour. The ceremony was attended by academicians, scholars and their parents.Executive Director HEC Prof Dr Sohail H Naqvi said Korea’s 95 per cent higher education literacy rate, active university industrial linkages and technological developments are a role model for Pakistan.  ‘Keeping this fact in view, 200 young Pakistani engineers were sent for pursuing their higher studies in the advanced Engineering and Technological fields at 6 leading South Korean universities.  This joint collaboration between Pakistan and Korean universities has been greatly helpful in creating a critical mass of highly qualified Engineering Manpower in high-tech fields and building up the capacity of Universities/Industries in Pakistan’.             Chairperson HEC, Dr Javaid R Laghari stated that 45 per cent of total HEC budget is being spent on human resource development in Pakistan. The scarcity of funds will adversely affect this major component especially the need-based scholarships awarded to the youth belonging to remote areas of Pakistan including Balochistan, FATA, interior Sindh and Southern Punjab. The Korean Ambassador to Pakistan Choongjoo CHOI congratulated   the young Pakistani scholars over completion of their degrees. He also lauded the efforts of HEC for improving the standards in higher education sector of Pakistan. Online adds: Chairman Higher Education Commission, Dr Javed Laghari said that ten thousand Pakistani students who are studying on scholarship in foreign countries would suffer, if the HEC’s funds were not released. Talking to media after attending the 4th Graduation Ceremony/Convocation of HEC Scholars he said that the HEC received Rs 20.5 million out of Rs 12 billion from the government while the issue has been brought into the notice of the President and the PM.Earlier addressing the Ceremony/Convocation of HEC Scholars at the auditorium of HEC Islamabad, Javed Laghari said that all the ongoing projects, including foreign scholarship programme could be stopped if the government do not releases the funds of the HEC.