ISLAMABAD, May 18 (APP):The Senate’s Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training Thursday sought the details of universities being funded by the Higher education Commission (HEC) and the measures being taken for their financial independence.
The committee which met here at the Parliament House with its Chairman Irfan ul Haque in the chair, was briefed on the current status of 14 Pakistan’s Chairs in different academic institutions abroad , which have been lying vacant for the last 14 years.
Secretary Federal Education and Professional Training Waseem Ajmal Chaudhary apprised the committee that the revised memorandum of understanding (MoU), approved by the Federal Cabinet, had been sent to nine foreign universities for their rectification.
As the MoU had been rectified by the universities of Iran and Kazakhstan, therefore, the vacant chairs in the said countries would be advertised soon, he added.
The committee chairman directed the ministry to devise a comprehensive plan to fill up the vacant chairs in other countries also.
He also directed that all vacant chairs should be filled in the next three months and requested Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad to follow up the process on priority basis.
The Senate body also took up the matter of Peshawar University which was closed due to the murder of its security incharge.
The Peshawar University vice chancellor said the culprit has been taken into custody and a committee had been constituted to probe the matter.
Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi stated that the faculty members and students had raised objections over the composition of committee and held protests, but unfortunately, the university did not make any effort for the resolution of the matter.
The chairman directed the vice chancellor to submit a reply, in writing, to allegations raised by Senator Tangi in the next meeting.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui also directed the HEC chairman to submit details of universities, funded by the HEC, and the measures taken so far by the said universities for their financial independence.
The committee also discussed “The University of Management and Technology Lahore, Bill,2023” moved by Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim in the Senate.
HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmad informed the meeting that the University of Management and Technology was an autonomous institution and another university in the same name could not be established in Islamabadl.
The committee unanimously disposed of the ‘Harbour Institute of Management Sciences and Technology Bill’, ‘The Orient Institute of Science and Technology Gwadar Bill’ and ‘The Ala-Ala University Bill’ because the movers failed to attend the two consecutive meetings.
Deliberating the issue of National Council Pakistan Bill, the HEC chairman mentioned that the Technology Council had been established but its charter had not been approved by the Council of Common Interests yet, which was required for becoming the member of Sydney Accord. It was decided to write a letter to Council of Common Interests to expedite the matter.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui also raised the matter of female teachers who had been removed from their jobs after serving seven to eight years in academic institutions. He opined that they should be provided substitute job opportunities so that their experiences in the field of teaching should not go waste.
The meeting was attended by Senators Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi, Rana Maqbool Ahmad, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Molvi Fauz Muhammad and Bahramand Khan Tangi
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