The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training met today with Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad in the chair, as the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Irfan Ul Haq Siddique, is traveling abroad.
The committee deliberated upon a bill to provide for the establishment of the Pir Roshaan Institute of Progressive Sciences and Technologies in Miranshah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and passed it unanimously.
The meeting was divided into two sessions under the same chairmanship to vet the bill, which was introduced on March 30, 2023, by Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, and referred to the Committee for consideration and report.
The meeting was attended by Senator Fawzia Arshad, Senator Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi, Senator Prof. Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani, and Senator Molvi Faiz Muhammad.
Also present were Mohsin Dawar, Member of the National Assembly, the Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and other senior officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Law and Justice, and the HEC.
During the first session of the meeting, the committee observed that the checklist for the establishment of the institute was either incomplete or not presented before the committee.
The committee directed the ministry to produce all the prerequisite documents prior to making a decision on the passage of the bill. The committee also raised concerns about the absence of the lease document or land agreement and inquired about the temporary arrangements made to initiate the institute until a regular building is established.
The ministry informed the committee that with the implementation of PC-1, all the prerequisite provisions will fall into place. The committee also inquired about the name of the building, to which they were informed that it is named after a historical poet and scholar and holds deep sentiments for the people of that area.
After a short interlude, the committee reviewed the checklist presented before them. It was revealed that the Federal Government, through the Public Sector Development Program (2022-23) of the HEC, approved a development project by the CDWP at the cost of Rs. 2,000 million for a period of four years.
The capital cost includes the renovation/rehabilitation of the interim building, basic infrastructure, allied facilities, lab equipment, etc. It was also revealed that a modified PC-1 will be submitted to the planning commission for authorization. The HEC assured the committee that classes will commence from fall 2023.
Senator Molvi Faiz Muhammad also inquired about incorporating courses on Islamic studies, including Seerat Ul Nabvi, into the syllabus. Senator Rukhsana Zuberi suggested that advanced technology and artificial intelligence studies should also be introduced as they are the need of the day.
