Hyderabad’s federal university dream one step closer to fulfillment

HEC has approved a draft charter for Hyderabad Institute of Technical and Management Sciences

KARACHI: They city of Hyderabad is one more step closer to finally getting a federal university of its own. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Islamabad has finally approved the charter for the Hyderabad Institute of Technical and Management Sciences (HITMS), The Express Tribune has learnt.

The establishment of a federal university has long been a demand of the residents of Sindh's second-largest city. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which enjoys broad support in the metropolis, has protested the lack of it on the floor of the provincial assembly multiple times.

Plans to finally give Hyderabad its own federal higher education institute were outlined by the Centre earlier this year. Bringing the demand closer to fulfillment, Prime Minister Imran Khan even laid the foundation stone of the university in April.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, HEC officials said they have moved one step closer to satisfying Hyderabad residents' wishes by approving the draft of the HITMS charter. "We have approved the draft for the university and referred it for cabinet approval," said one HEC official. "Once the cabinet gives its go-ahead, a bill will be moved in the National Assembly so that the HITMS charter can be acquired," he added.

Providing details on envisioned HITMS operations, MQM-P MNA Aminul Haq said the university will function under the same format as Karachi's Institute of Business Administration (IBA). "The institute will be built on Civil Aviation Authority land in the Latifabad area and the federal government has released Rs500 million for this purpose," he said.

Once it is up and running, HITMS will be Hyderabad's second public university after the century-old Kali Mori College, which is also being upgraded following repeated requests from citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2019.