The authorities of Pakistan Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (PITHM) have moved application for affiliation of the institute with Karachi University, instead of upgrading it as university as earlier planned, Business Recorder has learnt. Following the decision taken in PITHM Board's meeting, the authorities have applied for affiliation with Karachi University. When the application will be approved, the institute will start offering admissions in degree courses, sources said.
PITHM is first ever state-run institute of hotel management. It was devolved to Sindh government under the 18th Amendment in the first week of April 2011. Earlier it was decided that PITHM would be elevated as University with four campuses to be established in Hyderabad, Benazir Bhuttoabad, Khairpur Mir's and Larkana, sources said.
A committee had also been formed in this regard which had drafted a bill, which was also approved by provincial Law department. The draft bill was to be tabled in Sindh Assembly for final approval but it could not be tabled after provincial minister of Tourism was changed, sources said.
PML-Q's Mohammad Ali Malkani, who replaced Ayaz Soomro as Minister for Tourism, did not take interest to implement the decision to evaluate the institute as university. Subsequently, decision was taken to affiliate the institute with Karachi University. As per the draft bill, a copy of which is available with Business Recorder, the name of the planned university was proposed as Zulifqar Ali Bhutto Shaheed Institute of Tourism & Hotel management (ZABITHM).
Besides, Sindh government had planned to establish four campuses of PITHM at a total cost of Rs 100. Initially, Rs 10 million were allocated in this regard, sources said. When contacted, Director PITHM Abdul Razzaq Qureshi confirmed that application has been moved for affiliation of the institute with Karachi University. He said that there was no plan to elevate PITHM as University, it was just a thought, which could not be materialised. It may be noted here that PITHM has also raised fees of almost all courses by 30 percent.