ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training has declared a recent meeting of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) null and void, terming it unlawful, malicious in intent and held without the mandatory approval of the President.
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The decision was taken during a committee meeting chaired by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, who took serious notice of alleged violations of rules and procedures by the PIFD administration. She questioned how a vice chancellor under inquiry for breaching regulations was still functioning in the post.
“The vice chancellor who is going above the rules is not bigger than the system,” Senator Butt remarked, adding that public institutions could not be run as personal or inherited entities. She also expressed concern over reports that the vice chancellor attempted to facilitate the appointment of her sister, describing the matter as highly disturbing.
The committee declared the vice chancellor retired and referred her absence from previous committee meetings to the Privilege Committee for further action. Senator Butt also raised questions over the inauguration of a hostel with only six months remaining in the vice chancellor’s tenure, referring the issue to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance to determine whether the move exceeded legal authority.
“These actions are not against any individual but against the culture of treating public institutions like private businesses,” the chair said, stressing that the committee’s stance would serve as a precedent for future vice chancellors.
She announced that the committee would conduct provincial visits to universities to ensure compliance with rules and regulations, adding that town hall meetings would be held to obtain perspectives beyond official reports submitted by chancellors.
On the issue of fake degrees, Senator Butt said students would not suffer due to institutional negligence. She announced the immediate establishment of a permanent help desk at the Higher Education Commission to address complaints and verify institutions.
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The committee also reviewed the performance of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), which reported training 71,000 students in 2025 with an annual budget of Rs7 billion. Following complaints from a student in South Punjab regarding training allocations, a sub-committee headed by Senator Kamran Murtaza was formed to investigate alleged embezzlement and fix responsibility.