ISLAMABAD, Jan 1: Government has directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to abolish a project worth Rs160 billion under which four new engineering universities were to be set up in the country, Dawn has learnt.

The federal cabinet on May 12 last year approved the project for establishing these universities in collaboration with Germany, Austria, Italy and China.

The viability of the project was endorsed by the executive committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) before its presentation to the cabinet.

The project was to be completed in phases in 10 years.

The cabinet froze the project in its meeting held on May 19, and constituted a four-member committee to review the project. Later, the committee suggested revision of the scheme at a reduced cost of Rs72 billion. However, the issue was never taken up in the cabinet here after that.

A well placed official close to the development told this reporter that government had directed the HEC to prepare summary for wrapping up the whole project; hence, putting a virtual end to the scheme which was envisaged to prepare quality manpower for high tech industry.

The Federal Coordinating Unit (FCU) headed by Javed Masood, which was set up at the HEC to supervise efforts for the speedy completion of the project, has also been formally closed down which is a clear indication towards the cancellation of the project, the official said.

Unfortunately, the government has cancelled the project when it was on the verge of its inauguration.

The HEC had already made temporary arrangements for holding classes during initials years till the time their own buildings are put in place. The HEC had also marked and secured areas for constructing university campuses.

China had even forwarded the list of selected faculty to the HEC. During the recent visit of President Zardari to China, Chinese government had taken up the issue, the official said.

Under the project, these universities were to be run by the faculty recruited from the four countries which were helping in the project.

Unique feature of these universities was their faculty. Each country had set up a consortium of universities to provide best faculty to the proposed universities. And the degrees of these universities were to carry the stamp of the foreign universities enabling their graduates to compete in the international job markets.

Under the scheme, curriculum and examination system of these universities were to be managed by the foreign countries. In real sense, if approved, Pakistani students would have been able to achieve foreign qualification at far more affordable tuition fee.

These foreign countries had also agreed to establish technology parks where arrangements were made to set up research and development centers managed by international companies.

According to sources, Dr Attaur Rehman, former chairman, HEC, was working hard to convince the government of the viability of the project when he was shown the door in October. Once, he had said it was the best initiative of my whole tenure as chairman HEC.

Though the government quarters are presenting ongoing financial crunch for closing down this project, but some believe it involves conspiracy hatched by those who do not want to see Pakistan progressing in the field of science and technology.