ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges on Monday sought a full record of alleged illegal continuation of the vice chancellor (VC) of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD).

The meeting was held at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi. The major discussion was on the motion by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt against PIFD Vice Chancellor Hina Tayyaba Khalil for failure to attend a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training.

Senator Bushra alleged that the VC’s contractual tenure had expired in Dec 2025 but she continued to hold office. She also pointed out a conflict of interest as the VC’s sister was among candidates for the new VC, for which a search committee had been constituted, and alleged the federal education minister had supported the incumbent for years.

The PIFD representatives gave their version.

The chairman directed Deepak Perwani and Sehyr Saigol, members of the Senate of the PIFD, to appear in person in the next meeting instead of attending it through video link. He expressed serious reservations over PIFD affairs, saying appointments and promotions based on nepotism and personal preferences were affecting performance. He said the committee would examine all matters strictly on merit and would soon apprise the president of Pakistan, with a formal letter to the secretary to the president. He sought clarification on the legal status of any extension to the VC and directed the ministry to produce all documents relating to the appointment and extension.

The committee also directed that 13 individuals who signed the response submitted to the privileges committee be summoned.The chairman noted correspondence between the committee and the PIFD had been shared by the institute on other platforms, terming it highly inappropriate and unprofessional. Senators Saadia Abbasi, Jan Muhammad, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Dost Ali Jaisar, Asad Qasim and Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan attended the meeting. The next meeting will be attended by the minister for parliamentary affairs, the minister for federal education, relevant ministry officials and Higher Education Commission representatives.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2026