Senate body to ask LHC CJ for IUB scandal probe

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Thursday decided to approach the chief justice Lahore High Court (LHC), requesting him to constitute a commission to probe the Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB) drug and video scandal.

The committee that met here with Irfanul Haque Siddiqui in the chair decided to address the matter by writing a letter to the LHC CJ, urging the constitution of a judicial commission to conduct a thorough inquiry.

The IUB vice-chancellor briefed the Senate body regarding issues of drug sales, exploitation and dissemination of obscene material involving students and teachers on the campus. He informed the committee about ongoing investigations by the Punjab Higher Education Department and a Special Inquiry Committee established by the CM Punjab. Three university officers are in police custody for their involvement in drug possession and the matter of harassment and obscene videos is still under investigation.

In light of the gravity of the issues, Senator Siddiqui remarked that this had the potential to not only disrupt education but also affect the lives of female students. The committee reviewed the Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill 2023 presented by Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain. Senator Raza Rabbani who attended the meeting on invitation provided valuable historical context and proposed amendments to the bill, which were appreciated by Tanveer. Senator Mushtaq Ahmed put forward amendments regarding the HEC’s autonomy and the chairman’s term of office, advocating a four-year tenure. Following extensive deliberations, the committee unanimously approved the bill with the proposed amendments.

The Senate panel also deliberated on matters pertaining to establishment of higher education institutions in Multan and Sialkot. The committee engaged in a comprehensive discussion on three private members bills aiming to establish higher education institutions in the mentioned cities. Senator Siddiqui emphasized the importance of adhering to HEC prerequisites and documentation requirements before considering these bills. The committee deferred consideration of two bills, while one bill for the establishment of the Lahore University of Management and Technology was dropped on the continued absence of the mover. Addressing the broader concern of mass approval of university-related bills by the National Assembly, the committee chairman reassured the public that the Senate’s education committee was committed to scrutinizing each bill meticulously, aligning with the criteria set forth by the HEC.

Additionally, the committee discussed the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology, Islamabad (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which aimed to enhance the university’s efficiency by addressing existing gaps.

Senator Rabbani’s proposed amendments received unanimous approval.

During the meeting, the HEC chairman provided a briefing on issues faced by the university and informed the committee about the inquiry committee established by the president of Pakistan to investigate administrative issues and illegal appointments. The chair took note of administrative shortcomings and decided to hold the committee meeting in Karachi to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges it faces. Furthermore, the committee approved the private member bill titled the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (Amendment) Bill 2023, aimed at replacing words “federal government” with “appropriate authority” for streamlined functioning and prompt decision-making.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Senators Prof Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, Fawzia Arshad, Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Engr Rukhsana Zuberi, Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Ahmed Khan, the secretary Federal Education and senior officials from relevant departments. Prof Sajid Mir, Sabir Shah, Palwasha Muhammadzai and Waqar Mehdi attended the meeting as movers.