The Punjab Institute of Qura’n and Seerat Studies Act, 2014 (Act No. XXIX of 2014)

Updated: Sunday January 18, 2015/AlAhad Rabi' Awwal 28, 1436/Ravivara Pausa 28, 1936, at 01:07:33 PM

[1][1] The Punjab Institute of Qura’n and Seerat Studies Act, 2014

(Act XXIX of 2014)

[17 December 2014]

An Act to establish Punjab Institute of Qura’n and Seerat Studies.

Whereas it is expedient to establish Punjab Institute of Qura’n and Seerat Studies to provide an enabling environment for undertaking research and publications on the Qura’n and Seerat, to impart higher education in the fields of the Qura’n and Seerat and, to deal with ancillary matters;

It is enacted as follows:---

1. Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab Institute of Qura’n and Seerat Studies Act, 2014.

(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab.

(3) It shall come into force at once.

2. Definitions.– In this Act:---

(a)	“Academic Council” means the Academic Council of the Institute;
(b)	“Board” means Board of Directors of the Institute;
(c)	“Executive Director” means Executive Director of the Institute;
(d)	“Government” means Government of the Punjab;
(e)	“Institute” means Punjab Institute of Qura’n and Seerat Studies established under the Act;
(f)	“Makatib-e-Fikr” means ‘Deobandi’, ‘Barelvi’, ‘Ahl-e-Hadith’ and ‘Ahl-e-Tashee’ Makatib-e-Fikr; and
(g)	“prescribed” means prescribed by rules or regulations made under the Act.

3. Institute.– (1) The Government shall, by notification, establish Punjab Institute of Qura’n and Seerat Studies at Lahore.

(2) The Institute shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property and shall by the said name sue and be sued.

4. Functions of the Institute.– The Institute shall:---

(a) conduct research on the Qura’n and Sunnah to find out workable solutions of the problems being faced by the present day society;

(b) publish research reports, research journals and such other publications for the promotion and spread of knowledge of Islam;

(d) hold national and international seminars and conferences relating to the Qura’n and Seerat-ul-Nabi;

(e) provide instruction, training, research, demonstration and services in the fields of Qura’n, Qirrat (Tajveed-ul-Quran) and Sunnah;

(f) perform academic functions to achieve its objectives;

(g) prescribe criteria of admission, migration and examination of students;

(h) admit students and conduct examinations in the prescribed manner;

(i) select, appoint and promote academic and administrative staff;

(j) frame and prescribe courses of study;

(k) provide for research and printing and publication of research and other works;

(l) make provisions for research, consultancy and advisory services;

(m) enter into arrangements with other institutions or with public bodies;

(n) affiliate or associate itself with a university or any other local or foreign institution and establish facilities for the effective discharge of its functions and responsibilities; and

(o) perform any other function which is incidental to the above functions or as may be required to promote the objectives of the Institute as a place of education, learning and research.

5. Board of Directors.– (1) There shall be a Board of Directors of the Institute consisting of the following:

(a)	Chief Minister Punjab;	Chairperson
(b)	Minister for Auqaf & Religious Affairs;	Vice Chairperson
(c)	two Members of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab to be nominated by the Speaker;	Members
(d)	Secretary to the Government, Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department or his nominee not below the rank of an Additional Secretary;	Member
(e)	Secretary to the Government, Higher Education Department or his nominee not below the rank of an Additional Secretary;	Member
(f)	Secretary to the Government, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department or his nominee not below the rank of an Additional Secretary;	Member
(g)	Secretary to the Government, Finance Department or his nominee not below the rank of an Additional Secretary;	Member
(h)	Chairman Higher Education Commission or his nominee;	Member
(i)	Vice Chancellor of the University with which the Institute is affiliated;	Member
(j)	Chairman, Punjab Qura’n Board;	Member
(k)	Chairmen, Wafaq-ul-Madaris-e-Deenia of all Makatib-e-Fikr;	Member
(l)	one member of the teaching staff of the Institute to be nominated by the Government; and	Member
(m)	Executive Director.	Secretary

(2) In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall chair a meeting of the Board.

(3) The quorum for a meeting of the Board shall be one half of the total number of members, a fraction being counted as one.

(4) The member of the Board from amongst the teaching staff of the Institute shall be appointed for two years but he shall serve during the pleasure of the Government.

(5) The Government shall nominate for a term of two years an expert from private sector in the field of education and Shariah who shall be the member and second Vice Chairperson of the Board.

6. Functions of the Board.– (1) The administration and management of the affairs of the Institute shall vest in the Board.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the powers and functions of the Board shall be to:---

(a) take effective measures to raise the standards of teaching, research and other academic pursuits in the field of Qura’n and Sunnah;

(b) hold, control and administer the property and funds of the Institute;

(d) enter into and cancel contracts on behalf of the Institute;

(e) cause proper books of accounts to be kept for all sums of moneys received and expended by the Institute, and for the assets and liabilities of the Institute;

(f) invest any money belonging to the Institute in the prescribed manner or as the Board may determine;

(g) receive and manage any property transferred, and grants, bequests, trusts, gifts, donations, endowments and other contributions made to the Institute;

(h) govern and regulate the finance, accounts and investments of the Institute and for that purpose appoint such agents and auditors as the Board may deem fit;

(i) determine the form, custody and regulate the use of the common seal of the Institute;

(j) provide buildings, libraries, premises, furniture, apparatus, equipment and other means required for carrying out the objectives of the Institute;

(k) create, suspend or abolish such teaching, research, training, extension, administration or other posts as may be necessary;

(l) make appointments to the posts of the Institute in the prescribed manner;

(m) prescribe the terms and conditions of service of teaching and non-teaching staff including their qualification, experience and eligibility for appointment, and to appoint, confer, suspend, remove, dismiss or take disciplinary action against the staff in the prescribed manner;

(n) prescribe the duties of officers, teachers and other employees of the Institute;

(o) institute fellowships, scholarships, medals and prizes;

(p) promote cooperation with the Government and, national and international organizations in activities within the purview of the Institute;

(q) devise and implement participatory, merit based, result oriented and accountable management with suitable checks and balances; and

(r) perform such other functions as are incidental to the above functions or as may be prescribed.

7. Business of the Board.– (1) The meetings and the business of the Board shall be conducted in such manner and in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed and, until these matters are prescribed, as may be determined by the Board.

(2) An act or proceeding of the Board shall not be invalid merely by reason of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Board.

8. Executive Director.– (1) The Government shall, on recommendation of the Board, appoint the Executive Director whose qualifications and terms and conditions of service shall be such as may be determined by the Board.

(2) The Executive Director shall be the executive and academic head of the Institute and shall perform such functions as may be prescribed or assigned to him by the Board.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the Executive Director shall:---

(a) make appointments to the posts from BS-1 to BS-15 in the prescribed manner; and

(b) accord sanction to the expenditure provided for in the sanctioned budget and to re-appropriate funds within the same major heads of accounts as the principal accounting officer.

9. Committees.– The Board may constitute such committees as may be deemed necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

10. Appointments.– The Institute may appoint such persons in its service as may be necessary on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Board.

11. Delegation of powers.–The Board may delegate to any person or a committee any of its powers or functions except the following functions:---

(a) approval of annual or revised budget estimates;

(b) creation of a post in the Institute; and

12. Academic Council.– (1) There shall be an Academic Council of the Institute for laying down, subject to the rules or regulations, proper standards of instruction, research, publication and examination and for regulating the academic life of the Institute.

(2) The Academic Council shall consist of:---

(a) Executive Director (Chairperson);

(b) Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors of the Institute;

(d) one nominee of each of the Chairmen, Wafaq-ul-Madaris-e-Deenia of all Makatib-e-Fikr;

(e) one nominee of Chairman Higher Education Commission; and

(f) one nominee of the University with which the Institute is affiliated.

13. Fund.– (1) There shall be a fund to be known as the Qura’n and Seerat Fund which shall vest in the Institute and to which shall be credited all sums received by the Institute including contributions made by the Government and the Auqaf Board.

(2) The fund shall be kept in such custody and shall be utilized and regulated in such manner as may be prescribed.

14. Budget, audit and accounts.– The budget of the Institute shall be approved and its accounts shall be maintained and audited in such manner as may be prescribed.

15. Annual Performance Report.– (1) In January each year, the Institute shall submit an annual report on its performance to the Government.

(2) The Government shall, at the earliest possible opportunity, lay the annual report of the Institute in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab.

16. Rules.– The Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

17. Regulations.– Subject to the rules, the Board may, by notification, make regulations for the administration and management of the affairs of the Institute.

18. Removal of difficulties.– If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any of the provisions of this Act during one year of the commencement of the Act, the Board may give such directions, not inconsistent with this Act, as it may deem necessary for the removal of such difficulty.

[1][1]This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 11 December 2014; assented to by the Acting Governor of the Punjab on 16 December 2014; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 17 December 2014, pages 1897-1901.