- Matter referred to the Privilege Committees and Senate Finance Committees for consideration.
- Provincial university visits and public meetings announced to ensure compliance.
- Fake diploma issues resolved; permanent verification office at HEC soon.
The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training has declared the recent meeting of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) null and void, terming it as malicious conduct, contrary to prescribed rules and without the approval of the President.
The committee, chaired by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, took the issue seriously.
“The vice-chancellor who goes beyond the rules is not bigger than the system,” Senator Butt said, questioning the continued operation of a vice-chancellor being investigated for alleged rule violations.
She also raised concerns over reports that the vice-chancellor tried to treat her position as an inherited right and facilitate her sister’s appointment.
The committee declared her retired and referred her absence from previous meetings to the Committee on Privileges.
Senator Butt further questioned the opening of a hostel with only six months remaining in the vice-chancellor’s tenure and referred the matter to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance to examine whether the action exceeded legal authority.
“These actions are not directed against any particular person, but against the standards of ownership of both public institutions and private companies,” she said, stressing that the committee’s stance would serve as an example for future vice-chancellors.
She announced provincial visits to universities to ensure institutions are following the rules and confirmed that town halls will be held to gain a broader understanding beyond the chancellors’ reports.
Addressing the issues of fake degrees, she said: “Students will not pay for our negligence. We will collect accurate data on unverified institutions and ensure that students get their due rights.”
A permanent helpdesk within the Higher Education Commission will be established immediately.
The committee also reviewed the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), learning that 71,000 students were trained in 2025 with an annual budget of Rs7 billion.
Discrepancies raised by a student from south Punjab over training allowances prompted the President to form a subcommittee, headed by Senator Kamran Murtaza, to investigate possible misappropriation of funds and hold responsible parties accountable.
