The move comes a year after India denied visas to six Pakistani students dents who had secured admission to SAU.
Pakistan has paid up a good chunk of the outstanding dues it owes to the collaborative South Asian University (SAU) housed in New Delhi, four months after it was pulled up by peer member nations. It has paid $7.3 million to SAU –– which is 94% of the amount and is expected to remit the remaining 6% soon, sources indicated.
“So far, Pakistan has given $7.32 million, out of $7.85 million of their total contribution. An amount of $521,631 is still due to be paid,” an SAU spokesperson said in response to ET’s queries on the issue.
The move comes a year after India denied visas to six Pakistani students dents who had secured admission to SAU. The university, established by the eight SAARC nations in 2010 under UPA-1, provides academic opportunities in the subcontinent and has a specific student quota for each country. Five students have made it to the varsity this year and their visa process is underway. “SAU has offered admissions to 16 students for masters (course) and two for PhD from Pakistan. So far, five masters candidates and one PhD candidate have paid their registration fee for admission. Their visas are under process. Admission process is still going on,” the spokesperson added.
The High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi did not respond to ET’s queries. At the 53rd meeting of the SAARC programming committee held in Kathmandu in February 2018, member nations, besides India, had asked Pakistan to pay the funds immediately.
Infact, the Ministry of External Affairs had told Parliament in March 2018 that “all countries have contributed to the operational expenditure of the university though there are outstanding dues from Pakistan and Maldives”.
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The varsity’s operational expenditure is met through assessed contribution from the member states. According to the phase 1 arrangement, the share of each nation is as follows: Pakistan: 13.09%, Afghanistan: 3.83%, Bangladesh: 8.20%, Bhutan: 3.83% , India: 57.38%, Maldives: 3.83%, Nepal: 4.92% and Sri Lanka: 4.92%. During the 10th Governing Board Meeting of SAU (held in New Delhi on 18th December, 2017), the member from Pakistan had informed the governing board that their remaining contribution would be remitted soon. SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu, has also been reminding the governments of Pakistan and Maldives to remit their outstanding contributions, the MEA had said.
