Islamabad, (Parliament Times) : Shafaq Batool, hailing from the Chenat Base Bigla area of District Bagh in Azad Kashmir, has brought great honor to not only her family but also Kashmir and Pakistan by securing the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship from the world-renowned Oxford University. On this remarkable achievement, office bearers of the Canada Kashmir Association and members canada community also extended their congratulations to Shafaq Batool’s parents.
Shafaq Batool is the grand daughter of the famous lawyer and former Chief Muhtasib Ajk Saradar Mukhtar, niece of Principal Boys School Malot’s Sardar Ijaz and Sardar Hanif, and daughter of Sardar Muhammad Sajjad. Her parents immigrated to Calgary, Canada, where they started a new life to provide a better future for their children.
The President of Azad Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, and other political and social personalities congratulated Shafaq Batool and her parents. In their congratulatory messages, they described this success as a remarkable achievement and assured full support from the Government of Azad Kashmir.
Shafaq Batool, a fourth-year Psychology student at the University of Calgary, was among only 11 selected Canadian students awarded the distinguished Rhodes Scholarship this year. She attributes this success to her parents’ sacrifices, hard work, and continuous encouragement. She states that her journey is based on the principles of “empathy” and human service.
Shafaq Batool founded the Khairiyat Women’s Health Equity Network for women’s health and social betterment. Her performance has been nationally recognized with awards. She will now conduct advanced research at Oxford University on women’s and reproductive health. She aims to develop a system where marginalized communities have genuine authority in health, research, and policymaking.
Shafaq Batool’s success is being recognized as a prominent example of hard work, perseverance, and social service.
