A Senate sub-committee has conditionally approved the University of Business, Sciences and Technology Bill, 2025, mandating adherence to Higher Education Commission (HEC) standards.
The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training’s sub-committee, chaired by Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan, met Monday at Parliament House to discuss the private member’s bill. Senators Naseema Ehsan and Abdul Shakoor Khan, along with HEC representatives, were also present.
The HEC presented a report with suggestions for legislation regarding the formation of new universities and Degree Awarding Institutes (DAIs), recommending 32 cases for parliamentary enactment. The committee and HEC officials stressed the need to follow legal and regulatory procedures. They suggested that establishing institutes under provincial structures might be more suitable in some instances, given education’s devolved status after the 18th Amendment. For universities in the Islamabad Capital Territory, meeting all criteria for university status is crucial.
Considering the interests of students, especially those from Balochistan, the sub-committee recommended the bill’s passage by the Senate Standing Committee, provided the university fulfills all HEC requirements promptly. The matter was then concluded.