‘Illegal varsity’: SASSI denies HEC claim

Established by act of Parliament.

ISLAMABAD:

South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) University refuted a report by state-owned news agency Associated Press of Pakistan about its inclusion in a list of illegal universities.

A SASSI press release said the allegation and perception created by the story —published in The Express Tribune on May 24 — that SASSI is an illegal university is baseless as it is a corporate body with perpetual succession. The release adds the university was established through an Act of Parliament and was asserted to by the President of Pakistan on March 13, 2013.

It said because SASSI University was established by an Act of Parliament, the university cannot be called illegal by the HEC or any other body.

HEC Chairperson Javaid Laghari said the commission has the prerogative under the constitution of Pakistan to issue NOCs and approve any university, while adding that SASSI has not sought an NOC yet.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2013.