VCs are appointed under pressure, claims HEC chief

Dr Banuri blames ‘external interference’ for departmental paralysis

ISLAMABAD:

The ongoing dispute between the government and the chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) appears to have intensified, with the latter claiming departmental paralysis in the face of external interference.

Talking to journalists at a meeting in the federal capital, HEC chief Dr Tariq Banuri pointed out that instead of disbursing required funds for existing universities, the government is focusing on building new universities. He said that while the government should be a patron of the education system, it should avoid interfering in educational matters.

Read: HEC members dislodge chairman Banori

Dr Banuri said that previously the heads of HEC misused their powers and efforts were made to weaken the department and universities. He pointed out how vice-chancellors are appointed under pressure, and the commission is threatened into paying certain persons their preferred salaries. He added that “some people” even allocate more funds for favoured universities, thus encroaching on the rights of those who deserve appropriate funds.

The HEC chief said that the case against him started with the audit of one research centre, adding that while 29 research centres are ready for audit, one is not, and “we have been stopped from audit”.

He said that Rs1 billion were to be given to Husein Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry but the institute objected to an audit, and the Ministry of Education restrained the HEC, telling it “not to tamper with the institution”. However, he added, no investigative agency has yet been contacted over the alleged corruption.

He also revealed that HEC was given Rs700 million for Prime Minister House University while Rs25 billion were earmarked for the said project when a good university can be prepared in Rs3 billion to Rs5 billion. He contrasted with the lack of funds for existing institutions.

Taking the government to task over negligence over HEC’s developmental projects, he said that funds were given to the said research centre but nobody followed up with them over their progress.

He highlighted how Rs40 billion have been spent, but a vaccine for coronavirus could not be produced. He compared this with India where a vaccine was developed and put to sale.

The HEC chief demanded fairness in the allocation of funds to universities. He said that he had no quarrel with the government broadly, but a few people who were intervening in the department’s affairs.

Read: University enrolments fall amid confusion

Commenting on the government’s scholarship initiative, he said that currently 90,000 students are being given scholarship under the largest programme in this sector in the country’s history.

Supreme Court hearing

Separately, it emerged on Thursday that the Supreme Court (SC) has fixed February 14 for hearing the federal government’s appeal against Islamabad High Court’s (IHC0 order for Dr Banuri’s reinstatement.

The apex court also issued notices to the lawyers of the parties, including the deputy attorney general.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ayesha A Malik will hear the appeal.