ISLAMABAD: In a sharp rebuke to the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), a parliamentary committee on Wednesday ordered an investigation into alleged financial mismanagement and embezzlement within the organisation.
The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, chaired by Bushra Anjum Butt, convened to discuss the functioning and financial transparency of NAVTTC.
The inquiry into potential embezzlement stems from a report by Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, which raised concerns about the commission’s spending and oversight over the past five years.
NAVTTC officials said that 71,000 students were trained in 2025, with the majority hailing from Punjab and Balochistan, while stressing that no fixed quotas existed for South Punjab.
However, these claims were quickly contradicted by a student representative from South Punjab, who alleged that only Rs1,500 per student had been allocated for training – a far cry from the reported per-student expenditure of Rs80,000 to Rs140,000.
In light of these discrepancies, the committee formed a subcommittee, headed by Senator Kamran Murtaza, to investigate potential financial misconduct within NAVTTC.
The subcommittee is tasked with identifying institutions involved in alleged embezzlement and determining who should be held accountable.
The committee also discussed the ongoing issue of fraudulent degrees, with Butt ordering the creation of a permanent help desk at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to verify academic qualifications and combat the problem of fake credentials.
She stressed the urgency of the matter, insisting that students should not suffer due to institutional negligence. The HEC secretary assured the committee that the help desk would be set up without delay.
In a separate matter, the committee dealt a blow to the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD), declaring a recent controversial meeting there “null and void.”
The session, which had been held without the necessary approvals, was deemed to have been conducted with “malafide intent.”
Butt, who has long been critical of PIFD, raised concerns last week about the tenure of its vice chancellor and the controversial release of over Rs2 billion in institutional funds.
The committee took issue with the vice chancellor’s continued tenure despite an ongoing inquiry into her management practices, including reports of her holding the post for over 25 years.
Butt also highlighted alleged attempts to keep the position within the vice chancellor’s family, questioning the minister’s decision to appoint an interim vice chancellor while the inquiry was still underway.
“We cannot allow public institutions to be run as private enterprises,” Butt declared, emphasising that the committee’s actions were not personal, but aimed at restoring integrity to the system.
She also expressed frustration with the minister’s repeated absence from committee meetings, accusing the official of ignoring its directives.
The committee ruled that the vice chancellor’s term had ended in December last year and ordered her removal from any position of authority until the inquiry is concluded.
The matter was referred to the Privilege Committee for further investigation into her absence from previous meetings.
Furthermore, the committee raised concerns over the construction of a hostel just six months before the vice chancellor’s retirement and referred the issue to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance for further scrutiny.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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