Islamabad, May 11, 2026: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the establishment of new federal and provincial universities and examine draft bills related to university charters.
The meeting discussed the existing framework governing the establishment of higher education institutions in Pakistan and concluded that the criteria introduced in 2002 had become outdated and were no longer aligned with modern academic, research, and market requirements.
According to an official statement issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar emphasized the need to modernize the framework to ensure that new universities meet international standards in quality education and research excellence.
The meeting decided that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) would revise the criteria for establishing universities by June 1, 2026. It was further decided that all pending cases related to new universities would be evaluated under the updated framework once finalized.
Participants also reviewed the performance of universities, academic disciplines, international rankings, and the importance of prioritizing fields that are in high global demand.
The deputy prime minister stressed that higher education institutions must produce strong outcomes in employability, innovation, and research impact to prepare graduates for opportunities both within Pakistan and abroad.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa, senior officials from the Ministry of Education, leadership of the Higher Education Commission, the Rector of National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), and representatives from relevant ministries.
