Islamabad, Mar 27, 2025: The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has formally requested detailed records of PhD scholarship defaulters who traveled abroad but did not honor their commitments.
Additionally, the committee has instructed authorities to provide explanations for the termination of Fulbright scholarships within a week.
The meeting, led by Junaid Akbar Khan at Parliament House, included participation from PAC members, the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Auditor General of Pakistan, and vice-chancellors from various universities.
The session primarily examined the HEC’s audit reports for the fiscal year 2023-24, exposing financial discrepancies and governance concerns.
During the discussion, the PAC chairman raised serious concerns regarding allegations that some university faculty members were exploiting students.
He questioned why professors had unchecked control over examinations and grading.
In response, HEC representatives stated that this issue was under deliberation in the Vice-Chancellors’ Conference.
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The committee also discovered that the University of Gilgit-Baltistan was established without conducting a feasibility study, leading to a financial loss of Rs. 4.2 billion.
Additionally, it was disclosed that 96 students funded by HEC for PhD programs did not return after completing their studies abroad. Officials reported that 50% of the allocated funds had been recovered, with ongoing efforts to retrieve the remaining amount.
To address this issue, the PAC chairman ordered the registration of FIRs against scholarship defaulters.
Furthermore, Senator Afnan Ullah proposed publicizing their names in newspapers to deter future violations. The committee has mandated the submission of a comprehensive report within two weeks.
