Former Senator and President of the Human Rights Cell of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Farhatullah Babar, today strongly criticized the decision to use £190 million, returned by the British government, for building a new university in Islamabad. He described the move as arbitrary and lacking transparency, raising concerns over financial priorities and governance.

Babar stated that the decision was made behind closed doors without public debate, at a time when the country is facing economic instability, increasing debt, and a shrinking education budget. He argued that with existing universities struggling to meet a financial shortfall of Rs60 billion, establishing another institution is an ill-conceived step.

He questioned why the funds were not allocated to address the educational crisis across all provinces, where 26 million children remain out of school and public sector universities are experiencing financial distress. He emphasized that if the money rightfully belongs to Pakistan, it should be utilized for improving education nationwide rather than focusing solely on the capital.

Babar also raised concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the origin and transfer of the funds from the UK, stating that the abrupt decision to build a university only deepens the mystery surrounding the money.

He urged the parliament to take up the issue, seek answers, and ensure an informed decision is made. Failure to do so, he warned, would undermine the role of elected representatives in addressing urgent public matters.