ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: The Higher Education Commission chairman, Prof (Dr) Attaur Rahman, has expressed concern over the lack of funds for the enhancement and development of science departments of public-sector universities.

He stressed the need for providing additional funds to the universities for equipping their libraries and laboratories.

Prof Rahman stated this in a letter addressed to all the vice-chancellors of public-sector universities to know their demands and suggestions.

He has specified the additional financial provision to purchase books and journals for departmental libraries; chemicals and consumables, required for experimental purposes in laboratories; small scientific equipment for conducting practical in various laboratories; and to purchase teaching aids.

He also asked the vice-chancellors to provide actual expenditure that they had incurred on individual departments last year just to be aware of the present level of expenditure being incurred by them at the earliest.

The chairman also asked the vice-chancellors to send a list of the PhD-level faculty members in the fields of science and technology to forward their case of qualification allowance to the quarters concerned.

He said the additional funds would be managed through the finance ministry for the faculty members of the public universities who have PhD degrees in the fields of science and technology.