LAHORE: The Punjab Higher Education Commission (HEC) came under criticism in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday for what the lawmakers said not giving space to administrators of various universities to function.

“The PML-N government unnecessarily established the HEC, which kept the [administrative] systems of universities paralysed in the last 10 years,” Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi said during the Question Hour pertaining to the Higher Education Department.

“We’re now mourning the unnecessary tasks undertaken by the PML-N government. There’s a need to change the whole higher education system in the province,” said the speaker in an unusual grilling of the former ruling party.

Treasury MPA Saeed Akbar Niwani said that for the first time he had seen such mismanagement in the education system as there was no system of checks and balances on vice chancellors misusing their powers.

He claimed the issue was repeatedly taken up in the standing committee meetings but to no avail as the VCs were paying no heed to the complaints and/or suggestions put up to them by the panel.

Okara varsity VC to be replaced for misuse of authority, minister tells PA

Higher Education Minister Raja Yassir Hamayun said the Okara University VC would be replaced soon because of charges of misuse of authority being levelled against him. He told the house that the Sahiwal University’s VC had gone abroad on a leave and sent his resignation after being stuck up there reportedly because of the coronavirus restrictions.

PML-N’s Samiullah Khan regretted that two provincial ministers had re-taken their oath of offices despite being under interrogation by NAB, whereas the opposition leader was not being accepted as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee for the last over two and half years on the excuse that Hamza Shehbaz is facing NAB inquiries.

PML-N MPA Khalil Tahir Sindhu criticised the government on the ‘misbehaviour’ of Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan with Sialkot Assistant Commissioner Sonia Sadaf.

He regretted that an adviser of the government was inviting the AC for playing a friendly cricket match.

Former speaker Rana Iqbal also lamented that the government did official lawmaking on a private members day suspending rules of business in this respect against what they claimed the agreement reached in the house business advisory committee.

Rana Iqbal said the legislation done on Tuesday could be challenged in a court of law.

He recalled if any lawmaker would walk out when he was the speaker, he would put on hold house proceedings until the member was brought back to the house. But, he lamented, that the whole opposition walked out of the house on Tuesday against official legislative work on a private members day and the business remained as usual and neither the treasury nor the chair tried to bring back the opposition to rejoin the proceedings.

Law Minister Raja Basharat denied the claim that the advisory committee’s agreement was violated for the legislation.

“The opposition takes one stance in the house and another in the media,” he said, daring the opposition to move a court of law against the act.

Talking to the media earlier, the minister said that the firm stance taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan on the blasphemy issue reflected the sentiments of the entire nation.

He said the government could not compromise on the honour of the Prophet (PBUH) in any way.

Criticising the behaviour of the opposition in the assembly, Raja Basharat said the opposition always opted to flee when it needed to play its democratic role in the House.

“See that Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz did not come to the first sitting of the Assembly that shows his level of interest in the lawmaking. The opposition members come out of the room in the assembly, talk to the media and go away.”

He said the speaker always had the powers to suspend Rules of Procedure so Chaudhry Parvez Elahi did not exceed his authority when he suspended the rules the last day.

The minister said the Leader of the House should come to the assembly and enhance its prestige. He said a detailed verdict of the Supreme Court was awaited for the local bodies which would be fully implemented by the government once received.

Regarding the arrested Tehreek-i-Labbaik members, he said deputy commissioners have been directed to take steps for their release as per objective circumstances of their respective districts.

About the chances of an in-house change in Punjab, Raja Basharat said the number game in Punjab was such that there was no possibility of any change.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2021