KARACHI – Amid opposition protest, the Sindh Assembly has adopted a bill regarding shifting of controlling authority of 23 public universities and two institutes to the provincial chief executive from the governor.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Nisar Ahmed Khuhro on Friday tabled the Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment) Bill 2018 for clause by clause approval.
Khwaja Izharul Hassan, the opposition leader of the Sindh Assembly, tried to speak on the bill when it was tabled but Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza did not grant him permission, saying the bill was already discussed.
Later, the opposition members tore the copies of the bill and raised slogan against the government. The angry political parties including MQM-P staged a walkout over the passage of the bill with a majority vote.
The bill was earlier introduced in the house on Wednesday but it was postponed due to the opposition protest.
Earlier, the public universities and degree awarding institutes were worked under the governor Sindh. Now, the authority has been transferred to chief minister after the amendment.
The parliamentary affairs minister said the bill was aimed at transfer of powers to the province under the 18th amendment and since education comes under the provincial domain, therefore, the bill aims to consolidate the powers of the provincial authority that is the chief minister, The Nation reported.
After the amendment, the chief minister would have powers from appointments to financial dealings of the universities and from syndicate powers to designing admission policies.
Opposition leader Hassan vowed to raise voice against the corrupt practice, adding that the bill will be challenged in the court.
“Today is a sad day as the standard of education is already declining in the province but the government is passing legislation that would further deteriorate the standard of education in the province,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Faisal Subzwari said that the government was putting the future of Sindh at stake through this decision.
