Universities in Sindh fail to use development funds

Nisar Khuhro, Sindh's Pro-Chancellor and Advisor to the Chief Minister on Boards and Universities, shared his dissatisfaction with many local universities' failure to execute development projects despite the allocation of funds for their schemes.

Khuhro chaired a meeting on development schemes in Sindh's government universities, expressing his disappointment with the Jinnah Sindh Medical University, the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University of Law, and the University of Karachi (KU) administrations for slowing the development projects in question.

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The meeting attendees were told that only 25% of the work on the construction projects had been completed and that if the projects were not completed within the set period, the remaining funds would expire.

The Sindh government allocated Rs. 200 million to the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University of Law to construct city campuses, but the university only invested Rs. 51 million.

Likewise, the Jinnah Sindh Medical University was given Rs. 791 million for the development and upgrade of its girl's hostel and academic blocks, but the university has yet to begin work in these areas.

Also, Rs. 17 million was given to develop the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Chair and Convention Center, but the university has not spent a penny on it.

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The university administrators have given no reason for the delays. The attendees decided to create a project management unit within the department to ensure that the schemes are completed on schedule.

Alimuddin, the Secretary of Universities and Boards, vice-chancellors, project heads, and other related officers attended the meeting.