LAHORE, March 28: Over 100 educational institutions in Punjab, which were declared unlawful by the Higher Education Commission a couple of months ago, continue to function as the provincial government has yet to get recommendations from the commission in this regard.

Sources told Dawn on Tuesday that the HEC even did not supply the list of illegal campuses operating in the province to the education department.

Punjab Education Minister Imran Masood also confirmed that no information or list was given to his department. However, he said the provincial education department was planning to establish a higher education authority to monitor the performance of public and private institutions.

“The degrees issued by these (109) institutions functioning unlawfully in Punjab have no worth or legal status as these are not recognised by the HEC. Besides, parents must not send their children to these institutions as they (students) may face subsequent problems in procurement of jobs,” read the parents’ alert advertisement by HEC in January this year.

A senior education officer said the HEC continued to advertise parents’ alert against illegal institutions for several years but failed to evolve a mechanism against them.

“A lack of coordination between the federal and provincial governments is allowing these institutions to fleece and play with the future of hundreds of the students enrolled with them”, he said.

On the hand, some private institutions claimed that the HEC was not authorised to determine the legality of a campus as it had no gauge to measure their performance.

They alleged that the HEC usually did not recommend any action against the public-sector institutions for poor performance which was a clear-cut discrimination.

The foreign institutions operating unlawfully are the American International University (7 Up Chowk, Gulberg III, Lahore), American International College (Faisal Town, Lahore) and Al Qasim University (38-D Lawrence Road, Lahore).

According to HEC notification, the local institutions operating unlawfully without charter are: Rawal Open International University of Alternative Medicines Pakistan (Gujjar Khan, Rawalpindi), INFOVISION Institute of Management and Information Technology (Lahore), University of Southern Punjab (LMQ Road, Multan), Shibly College of Commerce (Karor, Layyah), Khyber College of Commerce (Kot Sultan, Layyah), Pioneer College of Commerce, Ahad College of Commerce and Global College (Kot Adu, Muzaffargarh), Shah Suleman College of Commerce, DG College and Abdul Qasim College (Taunsa, DG Khan), University College of Commerce and Punjab College of Commerce (People’s Colony, Khanewal), National College of Commerce, Quaid-i-Azam College and International College of Commerce (Mian Channu), Leads College Burewala, Comstech Law College, Comstech Degree College and Supreme Law College (Gulgasht Colony, Multan), Opstech College of Computer Science Lahore, Lahore University of Computer Excellence (New Garden Town, Lahore).

Arqum College of Science and Arts (Court Road, Gujranwala), National Group of Textile College (IC-I MM Alam Road, Lahore), National Group of Textile College (99A\1, Satellite Town — Rawalpindi), National Group of Textile College (45 Civil Lines, Gujranwala), Cosmiq Institute of Technology (Cosmiq Complex 54-Commercial area Lahore Cantt), Nicon College of Computer Sciences (Adam Jee Road, Rawalpindi), Sintech System (North Star Plaza Murree Road, Rawalpindi), Higher Education College (People Colony Faisalabad), Pakistan Institute of Technology (Trust Plaza, Gujranwala).

The others are: Aptech Computer Education (Tipu Block, New Garden Town, Lahore), CIT College (Majeed Plaza, Rawalpindi), The National College of Faisalabad, Softlogix College of Information Technology (Lahore), Excelsior College of Information Technology (Lahore), TIU Institute (29-C\1, Gulberg III Lahore), Kaynat College of Commerce (Kot Sultan, Layyah), Allied College of Commerce (Mian Channu), Nicon College of Computer Sciences (29\A Officers Colony, Faisalabad) and Preston University School of Business (7th Road Satellite Town, Rawalpindi).

The chartered institutions unlawfully operating outside their jurisdiction include Institute of Professional Studies (4-A New Muslim Town and 24-E near French Centre Gulberg III Lahore), College of Technical Education (New Muslim Town, Lahore), Matrix Institute of Emerging Science (Gulberg III, Lahore), Quaid-i-Azam College of Information Technology (Ferozpur Road, Lahore), Modern College of Commerce (Allama Iqbal Town, Lahore), Centre for Health and Population Studies (Chamba Lane, Lahore), College of Business Administration (Gulberg III, Lahore), Lahore School of Information Technology (New Garden Town, Lahore).

Among others are: Proceed Institute of Management and IT (Gulberg III, Lahore), Institute of Computer Technology (Gulberg III, Lahore), College of Professional Studies (People’s Colony, Faisalabad), Institute of Management Sciences (People’s Colony, Faisalabad), Iqra Girls College (Satellite Town, Sargodha), College of Business Administration (PAF Road, Sargodha), College of IT and the University College (Satellite Town Rawalpindi), College of Global Technologies (Peshawar Road, Rawalpindi), South Asia Institute of Management and IT (Hali Road Westridge, Rawalpindi), UK College of Information Technology (Club Road, Muzaffarghar), Natural College (Abbot Road, Sialkot), College of Management and IT (Lalarukh, Mall Wah), UK College of Technology (Ahmedpur East Road, Bahawalpur), College of Professional Studies (Gulgasht Colony, Multan), National College (Bosan Road, Multan), Educare College of IT (Baldia Road, Bahawalpur), Sadiqabad Polytechnic Institute, and Al-Khair College of Commerce of Mian Chanuu.

Leads Institute of Management (24-K Gulberg II, Lahore), Central College of Information Technology (Officers Colony Bosan Road, Multan), Pyramid Education Centre (Satellite Town, Rawalpindi), Institute of Information Technology and Management (Bank Road, Rawalpindi), Wah Institute of Management and IT (the Mall Wah Cantt), Independent Medical College (Jinnah Colony, Faisalabad), Soft Vision Centre of IT (Muhammad Husain Road, Model Town, Bahawalpur), University College of IT (Fareedabad Colony, DG Khan), Chanab Institute of IT (Shadab Colony Jhang), College of Management and Information (Jinnah Road, Gujrat), Rawalpindi Institute of Technology (Murree Road, Rawalpindi), Nice Degree College of IT (Jamiatul Road, Rahim Yar Khan), Multan Institute of Management (Gulghast Colony, Multan), Systex Institute of Technology (14-L Model Town Extension, Lahore), Abacus College (MA Road Satellite Town, Lahore), Lions College (Canal Colony, Sahiwal).

Standard Institute of Emerging Technologies and Sciences (225-A New Muslim Town, Lahore), Aptech Computers Education (Lahore), Aptech Computers Education and Pakistan College of Science and Technology (Faisalabad), Nicon College of Computer Sciences, National Textile Institute (Rawalpindi), Preston University canal campus (179-A Abu Bakar Block, New Garden Town, Lahore, Gulgasht Colony in Multan, People’s Colony Kohinoor Chowk in Faisalabad and Income Tax Complex in Gujranwala) are also included.