LAHORE, Sept 25: The Punjab University has issued notices to six chartered universities in the country, asking them to close down their 50 illegal campuses operating in PU’s jurisdiction without legal authority.

The notices have been issued to the Al-Khair University, Mirpur, AJK; Hamdard University, Karachi; Iqra University, Karachi; Preston University, Kohat; Mohiuddin Islamic University, Nerian Sharif, AJK; and Sarhad University, No 2, Sir Syed Road, Peshawar Cantt.

The PU has issued notices on the direction of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) which had declared theses campuses as illegal.

In the notices, which are to be treated as due notices under the law, PU registrar Col Masoodul Haq (retired) said that under the section 5(2) of the Punjab University Act, 1973, no educational institution could be established within the territorial jurisdiction of the university without the fulfilment of two pre-conditions — permission of the Punjab University and approval of the Punjab government.

“The pre-conditions have not been met by the six universities before opening their campuses in the PU territorial jurisdiction.”

The registrar said that the PU had the status of a ‘general university’ within the territorial limits assigned to it. It is the statutory duty of the PU to monitor the standard of education of all institutions operating within its territorial limits. The establishment of unauthorized campuses of other universities created a chaotic situation, which is being exploited to the full by sub-standard institutions. The HEC has directed the PU to take effective steps to stem the rot.

According to the registrar, the matter of checking the illegality of all the 50 campuses has been thrashed out at PU’s end. The PU has been authorized to take strict disciplinary action, including making complaints to the law enforcing agencies and government authorities, including the Punjab chief minister and Inspector-General Police. The university will also report to the HEC in case of non-compliance, he said.

The registrar said the six universities concerned should act according to law and close down their ‘illegal’ campuses forthwith under intimation to the PU and HEC.

The identified illegal campuses operating within the territorial jurisdiction of the PU are:

Al-Khair University, Mirpur: Institute of Professional Studies, Canal Campus, 4-A, New Muslim Town Lahore.

Hamdard University, Karachi: Hamdard University, Islamabad Campus; and Hamdard University, Faisalabad Campus.

Iqra University, Karachi: Iqra University, Lahore Campus, 2-E-3, Gulberg-III, Lahore; Iqra University, People’s Colony, Faisalabad; Iqra University, Islamabad Campus.

Preston University, Kohat: Lahore Canal Campus, 179-A, Abubakar Block, New Garden Town, Lahore; Lahore OPSTEC Campus, 11-F, Model Town, Lahore; 103-C/2, Kohinoor Chowk, People’s Colony, Faisalabad; Opposite Income

Tax Complex, GT Road, Gujranwala.

Mohiuddin Islamic University, AJK: Pyramid Education Centre, D-135, Malkabad Road, 6th Road, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi; Institute of Information Technology and Management, 40/3 Jahanzeb Center, opposite Gakhar Plaza, Bank Road, Sadar, Rawalpindi; Leeds Institute of Management Sciences, 24-K, Gulberg-II, Lahore; NK-FACT-IT Center, 14-A, Block-L, Gulberg-III, Lahore; Syntex Institute of Technology, 14-L, Model Town Extension, Lahore; Shiblee College of Management and Information technology, 135-C, D-Ground, People’s Colony, Faisalabad; Shiblee College of Information Technology for Women, Madina Town, Faisalabad; Paramount Institute of Professional Studies, Ghazi Building, Abdullah Pur, Faisalabad; Wah Institute of Management and Information Technology, Sadat Plaza, Lalazar, The Mall, Wah Cantt; Sialkot Institute of Information Technology, 9-Abbot Road, Khilji Building, Sialkot; College of Information Technology, Chowk Islamabad, Circular Road, Sialkot; College of Management and Information Technology, Jalalpur Jattan Road, near Civil Lines Police Station, Gujrat; Orientation of Research in Business and Information Technology, second floor, Muhammad Din Plaza, M.M No 2 Jada Road, Jhelum; and 30-east, Union Plaza, Fazal-i-Haq Road, Blue Area, Islamabad.

Sarhad University, Peshawar: Aptech Computer Education, West Canal Road, Faisalabad; NICON College of Computer Science, 29-A, Officers Colony No 1, Faisalabad; Pakistan College of Science and Technology, 447-D People’s Colony D-Ground, Faisalabad; Aptech Computer Education, 1-A Satellite, opposite District Courts, Gujranwala; Comwave Institute of Information Technology, first floor Block No 2, opposite F-7/2 Girls College Islamabad; Federal Institute of Modern Languages, Triple one Plaza, Blue Area (West), Fazl-i-Haq Road, Islamabad; Islamabad Federal College, CIT Plaza adjacent MCB, F-10 Markaz, Islamabad; NICON College of Computer Sciences, 24 School Road, F-8/4, Islamabad; Aptech Computer Education, first floor Abu Zar Tower, Peco Road, Faisal Town, Lahore; Aptech Computer Education, second floor, Cricket House, Shadman, Lahore; COSMIQ Institute of Technology, COSMIQ Complex, 54-Commercial Area, Cavalry Ground, Lahore Cantt; NICON College of Computer Sciences, 19-M, Muhammad Hanif Kayani Road, Model Town Extension, Lahore; Standard College of Information Technology and Management Sciences, 32-B Wahdat Road, New Muslim Town, Lahore; Institute of Fashion Design, Commerce and Telecommunication, Majid Plaza, Bank Road, Sadar Rawalpindi; NICON College of Computer Sciences, Aslam Plaza, 1/2 Adamjee Road, Sadar Rawalpindi; NICON College of Computer Sciences, first floor Dibai Plaza, 6th Road Chowk, Murree Road, Rawalpindi; SINTEC Systems third floor North Star Plaza, Main Murree Road, Rawalpindi; University College of Advanced Technologies, 7-B, The Mall, opposite State Life Building, Rawalpindi Cantt; Microinn Technologies, Institute of Information Technology and Business Administration, 16-Shami Road, Sheikhupura; Aptech Computer Education, 14-Cantonment Plaza, Sadar Sialkot Cantt; Vision International College of Computer and Management Sciences, The Mall near barrier 3, Wah Cantt; Higher Education College, 35-C Peoples Colony, Faisalabad; Pakistan Institute of Technology (PITECH), B-Block Trust Plaza, GT Road, Gujranwala; Aptech Computer Education, 5 Z, Phase III, Commercial Area, Defence Housing Authority, Lahore; Aptech Computer Education, 4-A, Tipu Block, New Garden Town, Lahore; NICON College of Computer Sciences, 19 M, Mohammad Hanif Kayani Road, Model Town Extension, Lahore.