Pakistan

HEC devolution is unconstitutional: Javaid Laghari

Laghari said the HEC has constitutional protection and is an autonomous body.

Express April 06, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Higher Education Commission chairman Javaid Laghari on Wednesday termed the devolution of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) unconstitutional.

Laghari said the HEC has constitutional protection and is an autonomous body. He stated that the commission was not part of the concurrent list, hence it could not be devolved.

He further claimed that HEC authorities were not taken into confidence before the announcement of devolution despite repeated requests to the constitutional amendment committee.

Laghari expressed fear that the HEC’s devolution would affect higher studies, education standards in the country and foreign scholarships.

Vice chancellors of over 36 universities are scheduled to hold a meeting tomorrow in Islamabad against the decision to devolve the HEC.

If the HEC is maintained as a regulatory authority, then the Vice chancellors will also discuss its rules and regulations.

COMMENTS (21)

mK | 13 years ago | Reply @ saleem, this is the decision of 170 million people? Are you really so naive? Around 70% of this country's population lives in Rural areas and most of them just dont have any clue as to what HEC stands for? Stop making a fool out of yourself! If at all you have been around, most the educated class of this country is opposing the devolution

QuranVsHadith | 13 years ago | Reply Do not state things without doing your research....you make an unfounded claim based on hearsay I am sure....do a google on it. Mot One Pak University is listed and that is a FACT. http://www.online-universities.us/top500universities.htm Education in this country is substandard and HEC only keeps it that way. HEC acts as if Higher education is a new concept....it has been perfected by the est....no experimentation needs to be done ....all that needs to be done is to ACTUALLY follow the rules set by the rest of the world and implement the system here. It is not rocket science. They do not WANT it to work smoothly, effectively or efficiently otherwise, afetr 10 years and help from countless countries who have this figured out, it would be set up properly and working like a swiss watch (not a fake chinese copy of a swiss watch).

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QuranVsHadith | 13 years ago | Reply @imran: Yes it is true.....you must be looking at some sort of propganda list put out by a pakistani.....check it out for yourself...all it takes is a google search of top 500 Universities of the world..... http://www.online-universities.us/top500universities.htm Not one is from Pakistan or even India for that matter. Sorry to disolve that vision but it is an outright lie.

imran | 13 years ago | Reply this is not true that AKU is the only university whose degree is recognized. please check and you will find out that there are several universities including KU, NUST and otheres are now being included in top 500 universities of the world sicne the establishment of HEC. HEC has done temendous jobs especially under Dr. Atta and need to stay to continue good work and serve this country.

saleem | 13 years ago | Reply Out of more than 10,000 HEC scholarship (both domestic and foreign), Sindh Receives 892, KPK receives around double of Sindh, Baluchistan may be less than 100 while Pujab receives CLOSE TO 8000 Scholarships. Sindh Education Minister (see link below) http://ejang.jang.com.pk/4-7-2011/Karachi/pic.asp?picname=99.gif

QuranVsHadith | 13 years ago | Reply @Sohail: The problem is that the HEC is just another extension of the corruption. In a private meeting with the Rector of a well known and very large "Univeristy" I was proudly and most emphatically told, "The University is a business and making money is what we are about. That is the bottom line and that is all we are concerned with. The students are money and we need to keep them enrolled and keep new ones enrolling." This was most unexpected and I was really taken aback and disgusted to the point of being sick to my stomach. After having taught at 3 major universities here is Islamabad I can see that this is ALL they care about as the education given to Masters level students is equivalent to 8th grade in most other countries (and that is stretching it). There is a very VALID reason that a university degree fro Pakistan is WORTHLESS anywhere else in the world. The ONLY Internationally recognized university in Pakistan is AKU....and for GOOD reason. HEC is a useless extension of the money grubbing bureaucracy that is Pakistan.

dar | 13 years ago | Reply Education is cirtainly not a priority for this govt.Now fake degree holders will decide the fate of PhDs.

Truth_Prevails | 13 years ago | Reply @appreciator: Well said. They should dissolve all courts and change the title of "President of Pakistan" to "Shahenshah-e-Pakistan"; "Aewan-e-Sadar" to "Darabar-e-Alia" ad so on.... PPP is an ingredient of disastor for Pakistan. History speaks for itself: Creation of Bangaldesh, nationalization of industries, politicalization of education & idustries, corruption 10% to 100%, you name it and we have it!!!! HEC has to stay!!!!!!!

Shaheen | 13 years ago | Reply I am at loss- When an intellectual of our country like Mr. Laghari lies for his petite personal gains. Leghari’s sahib argument that “higher education” is protected under 18th amendment is not misleading and a total travesty of facts. Even the simple readings of item 12 Article (70(4) constitution says that standards in institutions for higher education and research, scientific and technical institutions will stay as a Federal legislative list so Federal government can legislate on these issue and there is not need of HEC. It does not say that higher education is a federal subject, it says standards in higher education only. And matters related to the Pakistani students in foreign countries can be handled by some Federal entity. And there is no mention that HEC will select the students for foreign scholarships. So why are the HEC’s government officials lobbying against the constitution and interests of smaller provinces as promised under the 18th amendment. Government should take stern action against these bureaucrats for politicizing the implementation of the constitutional provisions. Atta-ur-Rehman, an allay of the Dictator Musharraf came to rescue to his Master’s dictatorial creation. Atta-ur-Rehman’s corruption was exposed by the Quaid Azam university professor. Let me clear that HEC is a bureaucratic organization and do not engage in intellectual research. They secure loans and grants and spend recklessly for their favored clientele and urban elites only.

Jahanzeb | 13 years ago | Reply @saleem: Decision of corrupt politicians (not only corrupt but also politicians who are in power by elections with 45 percent bogus votes) and corrupt bureaucrats, and you call it decision of 170 million people. you are nothing but a puppet in fool's paradise.

White Russian | 13 years ago | Reply Anybody remember this incident? :- http://www.chowk.com/Views/Education/Cost-of-Questioning Who says only politicians are corrupt? How come hypocritical media keeps silent about selective things? Would someone please enlighten me, under whose orders Isa was removed?

amar | 13 years ago | Reply this is a kleptocratic govt which is only intersted in stealing money .they have no interest in nationn,s future

Mansoor Ali | 13 years ago | Reply We(Students) are with You(HEC). We will not let it happen if we take a stand, a strong one. i expect tomorrow's meeting to be fruitful for a united action.

White Russian | 13 years ago | Reply I dont like the self-centred, self-serving, self-righteous, self-proclaimed Buddhas, who tend to think that everyone other than themselves is by birth corrupt. Yes, there are corrupt lot among the politicians. But I still have to hear from these hypocritical purists about the corrupt professors, who do everything from scientific fraud to sycophancy just to get HEC grants, and believe me, I have seen the tactics of these people, and they are enough to put all the Zardaris and Sharifs to shame. Professors, Judges, Generals, Journalists,,, just try to smell your own stinky armpits.

Imran | 13 years ago | Reply Why do you need degree attestations? There is a rule of thumb: Throughout the world, bachelors degree spans 4 years. If your Bachelors degree is a 4 years degree (as in Engineering), that alone is sufficient and is considered equivalent to Bachelors throughout the world. If it is a 2 year degree, then you have to have a 2 year-Masters degree, to be internationally considered Bachelors (4 years). It is ironic to state that before HEC, degrees were not considered valid by international universities.

TRUE PAK | 13 years ago | Reply what do u expect from fake degree holders?

Sohail | 13 years ago | Reply Mr. Leghari you have the full support of students and industry. Do not give up. We need fair rules and institutions for a better tomorrow. This was always expected from this corrupt government.

Patriot | 13 years ago | Reply Rabbani says they would devise a committee in the cabinet to attest our degrees and hence millions of funds would be saved for other critical issues. What I don't understand is that "Does it sound fare to get your degree attested by those who themselves have forged degrees??" I mean if they would attest our degrees, who would attest their degrees? Hence HEC must be autonomous.

appreciator | 13 years ago | Reply To the people who did it! Can't control it? Destroy it. No need to keep it hanging above your head. HEC has been one of the greatest pains for you. In fact you people did a great peice of work and right on time. But brothers the other pain still remains, the Supreme Court. Please devolve(in fact desolve) it as soon as possible. There should be no central Supreme Court, it also gives continues pains specially to you and our president. There should be only provincial supreme courts with limited powers within their respective provinces. The governement, including our president, should enjoy the fullest immunity that can't be challenged anywhere For now celebrate the devolution of HEC, enjoy your degrees, best of luck! see you in election

saleem | 13 years ago | Reply You have to go Mr Leghari, this is the decision of 170 million people.

Wowem | 13 years ago | Reply What do you expect from a government of corrupt and illiterate jokers! Sad that even a devoted PPP jiyala, albeit an educated one, like Dr Laghari has been driven to despair at such a senseless act. Once gain, as Dr Ata-ur-Rahman put it, the only hope is poor, pitiful Ifti Chaudhry and his benches of justice. Dr Laghari should be the first one to approach the courts.

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