Islamabad, July 6, 2026: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Monday raised serious concerns over the selection process for a nursing training programme aimed at preparing Pakistani nurses for international licensure, while also expressing alarm over persistent financial and administrative problems at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST).
The committee met at Parliament House under the acting chairmanship of MNA Mahtab Akbar Rashdi.
During the meeting, the committee sought an explanation over the selection of the International Center for Skills (ICS) as the implementing partner for the NCLEX Nursing Training Programme. Members were informed that the programme is designed to prepare registered Pakistani nurses for international licensure and overseas employment.
However, the committee questioned the transparency of the process, noting that 500 participants had been selected without any public advertisement and were instead nominated by the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC). Members observed that nearly Rs300,000 was being spent on each trainee from the public exchequer and stressed that such opportunities must be awarded through a transparent and merit-based process.
To seek further clarity, the committee directed the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) to provide complete details regarding the selection of the implementing partner, the nomination criteria for participants, and the broader implementation framework of the programme.
The committee also voiced serious concern over the prolonged administrative and faculty-related issues at FUUAST, saying the continued failure to resolve them was affecting the university’s governance and day-to-day functioning.
During the briefing, members were told that financial constraints had led to delays in the payment of salaries and pensions to faculty members, employees and retired staff, creating administrative difficulties and deepening employee grievances.
The committee emphasized that it was the responsibility of the university leadership to actively engage the relevant authorities and seek the financial support needed to address the crisis. Members criticized what they described as a lack of urgency in resolving the longstanding problems and warned that continued inaction by the vice chancellor would further destabilize the institution and harm the welfare of its employees.
To examine the matter in detail, the committee decided to seek a comprehensive response from the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training through a detailed questionnaire covering the university’s financial, administrative and governance issues.
The committee was also briefed on the Inter Board Coordination Commission’s (IBCC) equivalence system for Cambridge qualifications and its regulatory framework for foreign Qualification Awarding Bodies operating in Pakistan.
Members were informed that the system governs the conversion of Cambridge O and A Level grades into Pakistani SSC and HSSC equivalence, including mandatory subject requirements, grade conversion criteria and application procedures. The briefing also highlighted IBCC’s authority under the IBCC Act, 2023 to regulate foreign examination boards operating in the country.
The committee was further told that the IBCC Regulatory Committee had recommended the registration of Cambridge International Education as a Qualification Awarding Body in Pakistan for Cambridge IGCSE, O Level, AS & A Level and AICE Diploma qualifications, subject to compliance with IBCC regulations, prior approval for institutional expansion and alignment of compulsory subjects with Pakistan’s national curriculum.
The meeting was attended by several members of the National Assembly, along with the secretary and officials of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, representatives of the Higher Education Commission, and other relevant officials.
