Three federally chartered universities in Islamabad—Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), and the Federal Urdu University of Science and Technology—are grappling with severe financial difficulties, struggling to pay salaries and pensions. This crisis stems from reduced funding from the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
In response, the HEC and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training have jointly requested a supplementary grant of Rs2.5 billion from the government to address these financial challenges. Education Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani expressed optimism about resolving the funding issues pending necessary approvals.
The higher education sector nationwide faces a significant shortfall, with the HEC reporting a deficit of Rs60.1 billion. The commission’s budgetary requirement was Rs125 billion, but only Rs65 billion was allocated for the current fiscal year. This gap has led to a decrease in the recurring grant per student, dropping from Rs67,528 in 2018-19 to Rs50,956 in 2023-24.
Post the 18th constitutional amendment, funding provincially chartered universities became the provinces’ responsibility. However, except for Sindh, many provinces have not provided the necessary funds, increasing the burden on the HEC and federally chartered universities. Consequently, universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are also experiencing financial hardships.
The HEC plans to urge both federal and provincial governments to allocate adequate funds in the upcoming budget to ensure the sustainability and progress of the higher education sector.
