ISLAMABAD – Four universities of public and private sectors are operating in the country without acquiring no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Higher Education Commission (HEC), which is mandatory for a university to award degrees.
According to an official source, the universities of private sector which have not acquired NOCs include Leads University Lahore, Ali Institute of Education Lahore and COMMECS Institute of Business and Emerging Sciences Karachi. Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Benazirabad is the only public sector varsity to function without NOC.
The charters of these four universities were issued by the respective assemblies.
HEC Executive Director Sohail H Naqvi said issuance of charter by the respective assemblies was a prerequisite to establish a university and start its functioning according to cabinet’s criteria and rules. However, acquiring NOC was another obligation for a university to operate and get degree-awarding status, he added.
