ISLAMABAD  -  The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Wednesday expressed concerns over the alleged derogatory remarks about Pashtoons in an O-level Urdu book. 

The concern came amid continued availability of the book in the market despite being banned. The issue of derogatory remarks about Pashtoons was raised by Senator Bilal Ahmed Khan during the Senate sitting on October 18, 2024. The committee was told that action has been taken to ban the book, and that the author has submitted a written apology. Secretary Education noted that while language is regulated, content varies by province. Senator Bilal expressed anger over the continued availability of the book in the market. The chairperson emphasised the federal government’s role in overseeing educational content and called for the publisher and author to attend the next meeting. She highlighted that such a content promotes hatred and negatively impacts children, recommending that the Ministry of Education issue a directive to all provinces to withdraw the book from circulation. This action, she stated, would serve as a warning to other writers and publishers against harmful content. She also recommended that the author must provide explanation, offer an apology, and be held accountable in the next meeting. 

The forum also called for transparency in higher education amid fraud concerns. The committee met at the Parliament House with Senator Bushra Anjum Butt in the Chair. She emphasized the need for timely allocation for the HEC’s International Research Support Initiative Program (IRSIP), noting that a final decision is anticipated by the end of December. Currently, 266 out of 515 candidate reviews have been completed, and the chair stressed the importance of documenting this timeline to ensure results are released as scheduled.

During the meeting, Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan also highlighted the issue of retired college teachers from FUUAST University Karachi who are not receiving their due pensions and other allowances. The committee directed the concerned that the matter be discussed in detail in the next meeting and the ministry will provide detailed information on the matter.

The meeting also addressed the Calling Attention Notice from Senators Aimal Wali Khan and Hidayatullah Khan regarding the hunger strike of academic and teaching staff at Balochistan University due to unpaid salaries. Senator Hidayatullah stressed the need to allocate 4% of GDP to education, given the deteriorating state of education in Balochistan. The HEC Chairman agreed, noting that insufficient funding for higher education has led to a reliance on private institutions and that poor governance has resulted in the appointment of Acting Vice-Chancellors. Senator Bushra called for a policy change to ensure that acting vice-chancellors do not have the same privileges as permanent ones and urged for permanent VCs to be appointed within a specified timeframe, as universities suffer without stable leadership. To address these concerns, she proposed that the next meeting provide a list of universities with appointed VCs, specifying any interim position and their expected timelines. Senator Bushra emphasised the importance of involving the Planning and Finance Ministries in this serious matter, urging the committee to take a strong stance.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Education discussed the oversight of departments with acting charges, including the Director General of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and the Chairman of the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE). He explained that, instead of immediate recruitment, the FDE was previously under a stay order, but the process has now been completed, and the summary has been sent to the Director General. A request for an early hearing has been made three times, and the appointment is expected to be finalised within two weeks, in line with legislative direction. The chairperson emphasised that until a permanent appointment is made, the current situation wastes the institution’s time and resources. She stressed the need to identify and address any loopholes and indicated that this commitment will be discussed further on November 19, 2024.

The committee was also briefed on the recent recruitment process for teaching and non-teaching positions. The secretary reported that no non-teaching staff has been recruited, and that no complaints have reached the DG’s desk. He highlighted that, for the first time in Pakistan, the recruitment process included an examination based on guidelines from the Establishment Division and was conducted entirely on a merit basis. Senator Bushra recommended that the ministry share the list of 300 applicants who took the test with the committee members and suggested that candidates be informed about the new testing system and the overall recruitment and selection process.

The HEC Chairman briefed the committee on the compliance report regarding student degree attestation. Senator Bushra emphasised the committee’s role in overseeing and facilitating this process, noting the need to consider genuine cases for support.

PIMSAT Karachi and NewPort Institute Karachi were referred to the HEC Commission, while South Asia University Lahore was given until November 19th to provide data, after which it will also be referred if no action is taken. The committee expressed dissatisfaction with fraudulent activities at these universities, stressing that genuine students deserve proper scrutiny to enter the job market.

Additionally, a group of 137 teachers presented their case. Senator Bushra shared her efforts to resolve issues between two groups — one with exam credentials and another with years of experience — who have now been regularised. However, representatives from both groups declined to participate in an out-of-court solution due to legal advice. In closing, Senator Bushra recommended that Rabia Waheed, the group’s representative, attend the next meeting to provide a written statement, with any necessary litigation to be addressed thereafter. The meeting was attended by Senator Rahat Jamali, Senator Khalida Ateeb, Senator Manzoor Ahsan, Senator Bilal Ahmed Khan,  Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Senator Ashraf Ali Jatoi, Senator Falak Naz, Secretary Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Chairman HEC and senior officials from relevant departments.