Govt asks SC to restrain HEC chief from making policy decisions

The federal government has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to restrain Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri from taking decisions on policy matters.

The apex court heard a petition against the reinstatement of the incumbent HEC chief on Monday, wherein it asked why the official was not being allowed to exercise his powers.

The hearing was conducted by three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ijazul Haq.

During the hearing, Justice Muneeb Akhtar remarked that on one hand the government says that the law has been amended, and on the other it wants to stop the HEC chief from exercising his powers.

The deputy attorney general said that the commission’s chairman should be bound to work on day-to-day matters. He said that the chairman cannot appoint an executive director, as per the changed rules, and the court should restrain him from making decisions on policy matters.

Justice Haq said that the matter of appointments would be settled with the court’s decision.

The deputy AG said that the HEC chief can only appoint experts, but he is overstepping his authority by appointing rectors and committee members.

Following this, the SC admitted the appeal for further hearing, but said that it would resume after the detailed verdict of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) is issued.

It is worth mentioning here that the federal government had approached the apex court against the high court’s decision of reinstating the commission’s chief.