KARACHI, Feb 9: Acting on the instructions of the Islamabad-based Higher Education Commission, the Sindh government has decided to give 30 days' time to 37 higher-education institutions in the private sector to close down their allegedly illegal operations.

Sources in the Sindh Education department told Dawn that the HEC, in a letter of Jan 27, had asked the Sindh education secretary to ensure authenticity of the 37 institutions.

They added that the letter contained a list of the institutions which, without the approval of the HEC or the provincial education department, were either running degree programmes in collaboration with foreign universities or offering degrees.

They said that on a note put up by the education secretary on Feb 7, the Sindh education minister, Irfanullah Khan Marwat, had issued directives that the institutions be also asked to stop issuing degrees immediately.

The minister also approved the proposal of serving notices to "all the illegal or fake institutions" in Sindh simultaneously, the sources said, adding that the institutions would be told that they were not registered with the education department under the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulations and Control) (amendment) Act 2003.

They said that if the institutions did not wind up their activities within 30 days they would be forcibly closed by the Sindh government. The sources said the government had also decided to constitute a task force on higher education to look into the affairs of the institutions. They added that the task force would give its recommendations to the department.

The task force would be headed by the chairman of the Sindh government's charter inspection and evaluation committee. A representative of the HEC, vice-chancellors of Karachi University and Sindh University, the director of the Institute of Business Administration, a representative of the chartered institution in the private sector and an additional secretary (academic and training) would be its members.

Out of the 37 institutions named by the HEC, 34 are located in Karachi while one each in Hyderabad, Sukkur and Nawabshah. At least eight institutions belong to a chain of AJK-origin institutions. A number of institutions claim that they enjoy support of US-based institutions.

According to the HEC list, the institutions are: Newport University USA, Boston University, Al-Khair University (AU, four campuses), East-West University Chicago Karachi Campus, AU College of Information Technology, The International University, Planwell University, Adamsons University (Pakistan Campus), Western International University, Preston University (PU) Business Administration Campus, PU Information Technology Campus, PU Pakistan, The Open International University for Complementary, Institute of Banking Finances and Management, Lincoln Institute, AU College, AU College of Education, Islamic Missionary University (girls), Abubakar Islamic University, AU College of Education, American School of International Business, American World University International (Pakistan campus), The Elites University, University of Southern Pakistan, University of Islamic Studies, Sattaria Islamic University, Washington University (Pak Campus), University of Houston Clear Lake (Pak Campus), University of Economics and Technology (Pakistan Campus), Glamshire University (Pakistan Campus), New Port University (Pakistan Campus), International University of America, University of Engineering Science and Technology, and the Open International University for Complementary Medicines (OIUCM) Columbo.