Senate body defers discussion on NUT Bill 2017
ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE):Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology (S&T) on Monday deferred “discussion on `The National University
of Technology Bill, 2017’ due to absence of Federal Minister S&T and the Director General of the project.
The committee expressed concerns on not showing proper attention of the concerned authorities towards the agenda
item.
Chairing the committee, Senator Osman Saifullah Khan said the agenda would be discussed later in the next
meeting in the presence of high officials of the ministry to reach out a concrete decision.
The committee asked the ministry to brief members that in presence of National University of Science and Technology
(NUST) why another varsity is required.
Senator Osman Saifullah said the allocation for Science and Technology is already limited and it is hard to complete
projects within available resources. It’s better to transfer these funds for completion of other projects rather than establishing
another institution when a university is already rendering same services, he said.
Talking to APP after the committee meeting, he shared that no country can progress without focusing on science and
technology but unfortunately it is not given due importance. “Our duty is to point out loopholes which should be focused
on rapid economic development of the country in the comity of nations”, he added.
He stated that a number of research departments are established in the country with immense potential and capabilities
but they are not apparently performing up to the mark.
“We have to give priority to education, research and strengthen our institutions to nurture a research based culture in the
country”, he said.
The meeting was attended by Senator Azam Khan Swati, Senator Sardar Fateh Muhammad Muhammad Hassani and
Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh, Secretary Ministry of Science and Tecnology, Chairman Higher Education
Commission and other high officials of the ministry of Science and Technology and its attached departments.