Chairman Implementation Commission on 18th Amendment, Mian Raza Rabbani said on Wednesday the ongoing scholarships programme of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) would not affect despite the commission was being devolved as per spirit of the 18 Amendment.
Talking to media men at the inauguration ceremony of the Parliament's refurbished members cafeteria, the senator said though the commission's Act was being amended in light of the 18th Amendment in order to devolve it to the provinces but there will not be any change in ongoing scholarships. Thus, he added, "let me clear it yet again that those students who have been studying under the existing the HEC's scholarships would continue their studies."
He also dispelled the impression that HEC devolution plan would also affect foreign funding for the commission, he said the foreign loans were always released to a government that is to decide its executing agency or organisation. Replying to another question, he said those subjects did not exist either on current list or federal legislative list, were under the law, controlled by the provinces.
"The provinces have the constitutional rights to decide on the items that did not exist on current or federal legislative list and the federal government shall not legislate on such things. He said those who were criticising the devolution plan were against the 18 Amendment. But, he added, the landmark piece of legislation of 18th Amendment was successfully done and now these elements were criticising the HEC devolution and the employees were not going to be affected at all.
Meanwhile at the ceremony, the Interior Minister Rehman Malik told media men the courts had issued non-bailable warrants against Pervez Musharraf. Replying to a question the minister said, while the issuance of Red warrants fell under the domain of the Interpol after pursuing certain formalities. He said that the extradition treaty had been discussed with the Britain officials but it was not finalised as yet.