Serious delays in the implementation of Phase 4 of the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme have come to light, with official documents revealing that thousands of students were deprived of timely relief due to shortcomings in planning and execution.
According to documents, the process to procure 100,000 laptops could not be completed within the approved timeline. The original completion date for Phase 4 was June 2025, but the government has now extended the scheme’s duration until June 2026.
The planning for Phase 4 was finalized in June 2023, with a two-year completion window that could not be met.
Poor planning, unrealistic timelines
Documents point to poor scheduling, unrealistic planning, and failure to implement approved timelines as key reasons behind the delay. Graduate students were unable to benefit from laptops and related digital learning and professional certification programs during the 2025–26 period.
The delay has directly impacted students relying on digital tools for education and skill development.
Although Rs500 million was approved for the project, documents reveal that foreign exchange cover was not arranged, despite the relevant foreign company accepting payments only in US dollars.
The required foreign currency cover was just $12.5 million, but this fundamental oversight was not identified during the project design phase.
Services suspended, global partnerships affected
Due to payment issues, the foreign company temporarily suspended its services, affecting professional certifications of thousands of students.
Officials say Pakistan’s global digital education partnerships also suffered as a result of the lack of foreign exchange cover.
HEC denies negligence
The Higher Education Commission has rejected allegations of negligence in the laptop procurement process. HEC officials stated that despite a lengthy procurement cycle, all activities were conducted in parallel to minimize delays.
HEC said the payment issue arose at the time of Planning Commission approval, not during initial execution.
According to HEC, the scheme remains active and laptop distribution has already started. Officials said registrations may close at times, but new phases continue to be announced.
Distribution is set to begin in Lahore and other cities from January 2026, with more students being included during 2026.
Delays acknowledged
HEC also disclosed that PC-1 approval took 251 days, contributing to the overall delay. However, it maintained that the scheme is now operational and moving forward.
The laptop scheme, launched under the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, remains a flagship initiative aimed at promoting digital inclusion among youth.
