Committee asks universities to open campuses in less-developed areas

Senate panel asks authorities to launch crackdown against those giving government jobs to people on fake domiciles

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Less Developed Areas has directed all public and private universities to open their campuses in under-privileged areas of the country.

The committee held its meeting with Senator Usman Kakar in chair. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) officials told the committee that the panel had awarded scholarships to students from Balochistan and erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

The committee directed the HEC to ask all public and private universities to open campuses in Layyah, Badin, Lodhran, Tharparkar, Muzaffargarh and Ziarat.

It also asked the authorities to launch a crackdown against those giving government jobs to the people with fake domiciles in Balochistan and publish names of those getting jobs on Balochistan’s domicile.

The committee chairman directed HEC officials to ensure that the universities verify the domiciles of students from Balochistan with the related district authorities.

The committee expressed concern over a 40 per cent cut in the development budget of the universities and demanded that the federal government immediately increase the HEC budget to Rs55 billion a year.

The committee also asked for establishment of endowment fund in public and private universities and added that the money would help those students who cannot continue their studies due to financial reasons.