At least 71 universities face closure due to shortage of funds
HEC executive director says the govt can spend Rs1 billion on a monument but is not giving funds to universities.
ISLAMABAD:
Vice chancellors of at least 71 public universities on Thursday said that unless the government releases funds to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the centres of learning would be forced to shut down.
The vice chancellors met with Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh at the HEC complex in Islamabad to discuss the matter.
However, at a joint press conference later, Vice Chancellor of Fatima Jinnah University Dr Saeeda said that the finance minister made no commitment to release funds to the HEC.
The HEC executive director also told reporters that more than 270 projects of the commission are in jeopardy due to shortage of funds.
He said that the government has allocated Rs1 billion for the construction of a monument at the site of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination, but is not providing funds to universities.
Vice chancellors of at least 71 public universities on Thursday said that unless the government releases funds to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the centres of learning would be forced to shut down.
The vice chancellors met with Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh at the HEC complex in Islamabad to discuss the matter.
However, at a joint press conference later, Vice Chancellor of Fatima Jinnah University Dr Saeeda said that the finance minister made no commitment to release funds to the HEC.
The HEC executive director also told reporters that more than 270 projects of the commission are in jeopardy due to shortage of funds.
He said that the government has allocated Rs1 billion for the construction of a monument at the site of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination, but is not providing funds to universities.