Parliamentary panel rejects bill on minorities' access to higher education

A parliamentary panel on Wednesday rejected a bill on minorities' access to higher education after Higher Education Commission (HEC) contended that all universities are open to all persons without any discrimination of gender, religion, race, creed, class, and colour. 'The Minorities' Access to Higher Education Bill, 2018,' was moved by minority MNA Asiya Nasir, seeking 5 percent special quota for minorities in all universities and degree awarding institutes.
But, the HEC out rightly rejected the bill, saying it is contrary to spirit of merit and HEC's Model University Ordinance CXX of 2002 which reads: "University shall be open to all persons of either gender and of whatever religion, race, creed, class, colour or domicile and no person shall be denied the privileges of the university on the grounds of religion, race, caste, creed, class, color or domicile."
The HEC officials made it crystal clear to the committee and the mover [Asiya Nasir] that the minorities have already been getting admission on merit in all institutions of higher educations that left the panel with no option but to reject the bill. The meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training was held here with MNA Amirullah Marwat in the chair.
The panel was told that 'Sir Syed Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering (CASE) Institute of Technology Islamabad Bill, 2016' is under evaluation at the HEC. The decision will be taken after ensuring the standard academic, financial and infrastructural facilities on the site of the institute ie Sector B-17, Islamabad. The committee recommended 'The Institute for Art and Culture Bill, 2018,' giving due consideration to the no objection certificate (NOC) granted by the HEC in favor of institute.
The committee was told that Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, on the recommendations of the HEC, has directed the vice chancellor Women University Swabi to reverse the recruitment process initiated in pursuance to the advertisement dated December 11, 2017 and follow the standard recruitment procedure as pointed out by the HEC. Besides, the committee directed to submit the case for promotion against the post of professor to the university syndicate for its early settlement.