Devolving HEC: PML-Q rejects proposed move

Pakistan Muslim League-Q on Friday rejected proposed move of devolving the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to the provinces under the 18th Amendment by terming it as a politically motivated campaign. "This is a politically motivated campaign against the HEC which is reflective of the fact that government is hell-bent on victimising all the institutions that stand for upholding rule of law," said Mushahid Hussain Syed, Secretary General PML-Q at a press conference.
He also made it clear that his party would oppose all the moves meant for subjugating national institutions. Mushahid Hussain said the HEC come in the ambit of concurrent list and hence could not be devolved to the provinces. "Though I myself have been a staunch supporter of provincial autonomy, I would say that the HEC should not be devolved as it is the only institution that ensures bright future of the nation by providing higher education to the youth," he added.
He said the brother of HEC chairman Dr Javaid Laghari was arrested to pressurise the HEC not to expose the parliamentarians and when the move did not work, the government is abolishing the HEC. He said the university grants commission (UGC) of India was also being run by the federal government like the HEC.
Responding to a question, Mushahid Hussain said his party was not providing oxygen to the government and rather it was government itself which was seeking their help to save the system. "Is it not our triumph that those who labelled the PML as "Qatil League" are now seeking our help? The investigations have exonerated us and now everybody is seeking our help. Our candidates are winning the by-polls from across the country and the popularity of the PML-Q is rising by each passing day."
When asked about the presidential reference to reopen Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case, Mushahid said his personal opinion is that the late Bhutto's court verdict tantamount to judicial murder and the same should be reopened. He said, he viewed the hanging of Bhutto as a political murder and the court verdict was handed down on the then government's pressure. "Nevertheless, I also feel that the murders of Benazir Bhutto, Murtaza Bhutto and Khalid Shahenshah should also be properly be probed and their cases should also be reopened to set the record straight," he added.