ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology on Monday passed “The National University of Technology Bill, 2017.”

The bill is aimed at promoting technical education in the country.

The committee, which met here at Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) under the Chairmanship of MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema, discussed the bill in detail.

“After detailed deliberations, the committee unanimously recommended that “The National University of Technology Bill, 2017” as amended by the committee may be passed,” read a press release issued by the National Assembly.

Frontier Works Organization (FWO) will run the proposed university.

While briefing about the pros and cons of the bill, Brig. Aftab Qureshi, who is heading the university project, apprised the committee that technical manpower was the backbone and driving force behind the economic development of a nation.

“In Pakistan, technological education sector has generally remained ignored and under developed. It is a well-known fact that the non-availability of well-trained human resource in the technical fields is seriously retarding our industrial growth. The situation is accentuated by the lack of recognition and virtual non-existence of the state of the art, higher education stream in the realm of technologies,” he said and added that against this backdrop, it has been conceptualized that a National University of Technology (Nutech) be established to redress this deficiency.

Nutech envisions revolutionising Technological Education Sector by introducing higher education in the technology streams.

It shall also regulate and certify technical skill development in affiliated institutes to make it receptive to the current and future needs of the industry and prospective opportunities offered by China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“Mainly FWO will run this university and HEC will provide its full support. It’s a good initiative as this university would actualize the potentials of youth to produce efficient workforce,” Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed told Dawn after attending the committee meeting. He said that the HEC is also working to start a skill university in Islamabad soon.

“We have passed the bill because technical universities are very much needed in this country,” said committee Chairman MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2017