PIFD meeting declared void for “malafide intentions”, rule-breaking and lack of presidential approval
Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Vocational Training, chairing a meeting of the committee at the Ministry of Federal Education and Vocational Training in Islamabad on February 11. Photo: Senate
The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Wednesday ordered investigations into alleged financial irregularities in the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and announced strict measures to address the issue of fake degrees, while declaring void a controversial meeting held at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD).
The committee met under the chairmanship of Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, who led the establishment of a permanent help desk at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to verify academic degrees. She said accurate data would be collected on unverified institutions and fake degrees, stressing that students should not suffer due to institutional negligence. The HEC secretary assured the committee that the help desk would be set up immediately.
The committee then took up an agenda moved by Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan regarding the functioning, transparency and financial management of the NAVTTC for the last five years. NAVTTC officials informed the committee that 71,000 students were being trained by 2025, including 6,200 from Balochistan and 43,000 from Punjab and no fixed quota existed for southern Punjab.
Officials stated that NAVTTC’s annual budget stands at Rs7 billion, with expenditure per students ranging from Rs80,000 to Rs140,000 and that funds are disbursed directly to institutions through joint accounts. However, a student representative from south Punjab contradicted this claim, claiming that only Rs1,500 per student was provided. student for training.
After hearing both sides, the committee constituted a sub-committee headed by Senator Kamran Murtaza to investigate alleged embezzlement under NAVTTC programs, identify institutions involved and fix responsibilities.
Separately, the committee declared a meeting held at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) invalid, ruling that it was conducted with “malafide intentions”, in violation of the prescribed rules and without the approval of the presidency. The decision was taken during a briefing by the Higher Education Commission regarding the controversial PIFD meeting.
The PIFD case came to light last week when Senator Butt, during a standing committee session, questioned the tenure of the institute’s vice-chancellor and the release of more than Rs2 billion in institutional funds. She also criticized the federal education minister for repeatedly missing committee meetings and flouting its directives.
According to her, the committee had decided that the vice-chancellor’s term of office ended in December and that she should step aside, with any investigation conducted in a transparent manner. Despite this, she claimed that the minister not only appointed Tayyaba as interim vice-chancellor but also elevated her to the post of professor.
Senator Butt took strong exception to the Vice-Chancellor’s continued role, noting that an investigation was already underway against her for allegedly operating above institutional rules and remaining in office for over 25 years. She questioned how the position was treated as an inherited right, including reported attempts to facilitate the appointment of the principal’s sister to the position.
The committee declared the vice-chancellor retired and maintained that she should not be assigned any position or authority until the investigation was completed. It also objected to her absence from earlier meetings and referred the matter to the Privileges Committee for an explanation. “A vice-chancellor who goes beyond the rules is not bigger than the system,” she said.
Further concerns were raised over the opening of a hostel just six months before the Vice-Chancellor’s retirement. The case was referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance to determine whether the action exceeded legal authority.
Butt emphasized that the committee’s actions were not aimed at individuals, but were aimed at stopping the practice of running public institutions as private enterprises. She said the committee’s mandate extends beyond agenda discussions to ensure follow-up, implementation, transparency and accountability across higher education institutions.
