Allama Iqbal Open University was established under the Policy of:

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) was established in Pakistan in 1974, but its foundation and mandate were laid under the comprehensive Education Policy of 1972-1980. This policy aimed to universalize education and provide opportunities for higher education through distance learning, leading directly to the creation of AIOU.

• The year 1959 relates to an earlier education commission.
• The year 1970 was a period of political transition, not a specific education policy for AIOU's establishment.
• The year 1978 falls within the implementation phase of the 1972 policy, not its foundational establishment.