ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee of the Senate will probe the alleged misappropriation of funds in the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC).

The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, which met on Wednesday under the chairpersonship of Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, discussed NAVTTC issues among other agenda items.

Regarding financial allocations, NAVTTC informed the committee that its annual budget stands at Rs7 billion. On average, expenditure per student ranges from Rs80,000 to Rs140,000. The committee was further briefed that a joint account is established between NAVTTC and the concerned institution after approval from the steering committee, and that the budget is disbursed directly to institutions for training courses.

However, a student representative from South Punjab informed the committee that only Rs1,500 per student was being provided for training courses.

Body also takes notice of PIFD governance issues, fake degrees and ministry’s refusal to facilitate university visit

After hearing both parties, the chair decided to constitute a sub-committee headed by Senator Kamran Murtaza to investigate the matter, identify institutions allegedly involved in embezzlement under the name of NAVTTC and trace those responsible.

It is relevant to note that a recent audit also raised serious objections regarding the affairs of NAVTTC.

Earlier, during the course of the meeting, the committee took up an agenda item forwarded by Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan regarding the functioning, transparency, financial management, selection criteria, third-party evaluation mechanism and performance outcomes of NAVTTC during the past five years.

During the briefing, NAVTTC informed the committee that its primary mandate is qualification development and framework implementation. In response to questions raised by Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan regarding the total number of students trained, the committee was informed that 71,000 students were trained in 2025. Of these, 6,200 belonged to Balochistan and 43,000 to Punjab.

Upon inquiry about any fixed quota for South Punjab, it was stated that no such quota exists.

Meanwhile, while discussing issues related to the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Designing (PIFD), the committee chairperson directed that a meeting held at PIFD be considered null and void, declaring it to have been conducted with mala fide intention, against prescribed rules and without the approval of the Presidency.

The chair took serious notice and questioned how a vice chancellor, against whom an inquiry had already been opened for allegedly governing above the rules and who had remained in office for more than 25 years, could continue to function and allegedly plan to treat the position as an inherited right, including reported intentions of facilitating the appointment of her sister as vice chancellor.

The chairperson declared her retired and the meeting mala fide in intention, adding that such actions ridiculed the sanctity of the august House where an inquiry was already underway. She maintained that no post or seat should have been given to her until the clearance of the inquiry.

The committee also objected to her absence from previous meetings and referred the matter to the Privilege Committee to seek an explanation regarding her non-attendance.

“The vice chancellor who is going above the rules is not bigger than the system,” Senator Butt said.

She further questioned under what capacity a hostel had been opened when only six months were left before the vice chancellor’s retirement. The chair referred the case to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance to examine the matter and determine whether the action was taken beyond lawful authority.

Senator Butt emphasised that these steps were not directed against any individual but against the practice of running public institutions as private businesses. “These actions are not against any one particular person but against the norm of treating public institutions as private business,” she said, adding that the committee’s stance would set an example for all vice chancellors in future not to misuse authority or act above the law and institutional framework.

As a future measure, she announced that the committee would undertake provincial visits to universities within its domain to personally assess whether institutions were functioning in accordance with the rules.

She also informed the committee that despite full preparations, the secretary of the Ministry of Education had refused the committee’s visit to Urdu University Lahore, citing the need to save government finances. Senator Butt clarified that the committee was travelling domestically to Lahore to assess the situation, particularly in light of reports that employees, allegedly unpaid pensions, were committing suicide.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2026