NA Body On Education Issues Summons VC IUB

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training has decided to issue summons of Vice Chancellor, Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), for ensuring his attendance in the next meeting

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st Mar, 2023 ) :The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal education and Professional Training has decided to issue summons of Vice Chancellor, Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), for ensuring his attendance in the next meeting.

The directions were made during the 38th meeting of the Standing Committee held here under the Chairmanship of Makhdoom Syed Sami-ul-Hassan Gillani, MNA.

Prof. Dr. Athar Mahboob, VC (IUB), was required to attend the meeting (in person) to present report of last Syndicate meeting of IUB but he remained absent and even did not bother to obtain prior permission of the Committee.

The Registrar, IUB, informed the Committee that the VC was preoccupied in some other engagement thus did not attend the meeting.

The Committee held that the attitude of the VC had always remained non-serious towards the business of the Committee in the past which leads to the breach of the Committee, therefore unanimously decided to issue summons of the VC (IUB) to ensure his attendance in the next meeting.

Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, Vice Chancellor, Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad, briefed the Committee on the backdrop of the precarious law and order situation amid violent clash between the student groups leading towards closure of the University on February 27, 2023.

He held that the ethnic councils were fomenting the spirit of sub-nationalism and jeopardizing the University's peaceful academic environment. An FIR was got registered at the Secretariat's Police Station against the unfortunate eventuality while all the hostels were got vacated, he added.

The Committee; after listening to the VC and students' representatives, held that there should be no compromise on discipline but the VC; playing his parental role, should hold meetings with the affected students for amicable settlement of the issues as well as restoration of academic activities and submit a report to the Committee within fifteen days.

Prof. Dr Shabbar Atiq, Vice Chancellor, University of Gujrat (UOG), briefed the Committee about the history, faculties, departments, research and development, international ranking, students' strength, allied facilities, etc., of the University.

He held that the enrollment ratio of male and female students was 38% and 62% respectively which shows parents' trust at the administration.

Moreover, according to Times Higher Education Ranking of 2022-23, the UOG was amongst 1001 to 1200 all over the globe, 43rd in Pakistan and 13th in Punjab.

While appreciating the VC, the Committee pointed out that there were reports of some administrative lacunas in the University. Quoting an example, the Committee inquired about the fate of a long outstanding inquiry against Abdul Rasheed, an employee of the University, referred by Governor Punjab to the administration of the University.

The VC, in response, informed that the matter was duly placed in the last Syndicate meeting on March 21, 2023, and the same will be finalized in near future. The Committee directed the VC to update it about the outcome of the Syndicate's decision in the next meeting.

On the issue of "The Global Institute", the Committee appointed a Sub-Committee under the Convener-ship of Ch. Muhammad Hamid Hameed, MNA, along-with Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Ms. Kiran Imran Dar and Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, MNAs as its Members. The Sub-Committee will look into all the issues of the students of the Institute, recommend ways and means for their redressal and submit a report to the Standing Committee in fifteen days.

The Committee also considered (i) "The National Skills University (amendment) Bill, 2023" (Government Bill), (ii) "The NFC-Institute of Engineering and Technology Multan (Amendment) Bill, 2023" (Government Bill) and (iii) "The Kalam Bibi International Women Institute Bannu Bill, 2023" (Government Bill) and recommended that the same may be passed by the National Assembly. Whereas, the Committee disposed of the matter referred to it by the Honorable Speaker concerning non-registration of Bachelor of Engineering Degree of Sheraz Waqas Soomro, student of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology by Pakistan Engineering Council.

The meeting was attended by MNAs; Nisar Ahmed Cheema, Ch. Hamid Hameed, Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Ms. Kiran Imran Dar, Dr. Samina Matloob, Ms. Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Ms. Mussarat Rafiq Mahesar, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro and Mrs. Farukh Khan besides senior officers of Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, HEC and other Departments/Organizations.