The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP), earlier today, directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to shut down illegal campuses of all private universities across the country.
The ruling came from a case filed by students who contended that HEC is not verifying their degrees as it claims that Preston University and Al-Khair University had established sub-campuses in Karachi and Lahore illegally.
According to details Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who is also the head of the three-member bench hearing the case, asked HEC to verify the degrees of the students by exercising special powers conferred upon it under the HEC Act 2002.
The bench also asked HEC to provide reasons for not verifying the degrees of the students of the sub-campuses of these universities. At this, HEC’s lawyer said that private universities are not allowed to establish sub-campuses outside their territorial limits, which is why these two sub-campuses are identified as illegal.
Justice Bandial also suggested the federal and provincial governments cooperate with HEC to help establish its authority countrywide and enabling it to put an end to illegal activities for the improvement of higher education in the country.
The lawyer of the aggrieved students requested the bench to order the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take action against private universities for depriving students of millions of rupees by setting up illegal campuses.
However, the bench declined the request as Justice Bandial explained that HEC has the powers to investigate such matters regarding private universities and there is no need to involve NAB in this.
