The National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) met in Islamabad under the Chairmanship of Sajid Khan.
The parliamentary body ordered HEC to notify the increase in the number of seats in medical colleges for erstwhile FATA students. Furthermore, Chairman WAPDA was summoned to be present in the next meeting else a privilege motion would be moved ahead of him.
The Committee expressed its concern on the non-compliance of the recommendation passed by the Committee in its meeting held on 7 January 2021 regarding issuance of notification for doubling of seats for students from erstwhile FATA in medical and dental colleges for the remaining period of 8 years in compliance of the Cabinet decision on 2 March 2017.
The representative of Khyber Medical University (KMU) informed the Committee, “We have no powers to enhance the seats, however, we can send recommendations to HEC.” The representative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) apprised the Committee that 36 additional seats for erstwhile FATA (KPK) already have been increased and the issue is resolved.
He further informed that HEC is only a regulator, and we take up the recommendations of provinces. The Committee recommended that HEC must issue notification for the doubling of seats for 8 years so that the issue pending for three years be resolved.
The Committee expressed its displeasure on the absence of the Chairman WAPDA from the meeting and directed that the Chairman WAPDA must attend the next meeting in person and to brief the Committee on the agenda, otherwise, the Committee will move ‘privilege motion’ against him.
The meeting was attended by Saleh Muhammad, Shahid Ahmad, Gul Dad Khan, Gul Zafar Khan, Abdul Shakoor Shad, Shaheen Naz Saifullah, Muhammad Afzal Khokhar, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Aysha Rajab Ali, Sajid Hussain Turi, and Muhammad Jamal-ud-Din and officers of the Ministry and its attached departments.
