Court suspends HEC ban on Isra varsity admissions

IHC suspends notifications that held admission process in abeyance

HYDERABAD:

The Higher Education Commission's (HEC) ban on admissions in Isra University's main campus in Hyderabad as well as at its Karachi and Islamabad campuses stands vacated.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday suspended the notifications putting in abeyance the admission process through executive orders dated October 28, 2024, February 13 and 17, 2025.

"... the operation of the impugned notices dated February 13 and 17 shall remain suspended," reads the IHC's order which put the commission, its executive director and director accreditation and global engagement on notice for April 22. The petitioners, the university and its Vice Chancellor Ahmed Kazi, through their counsel Makhdoom Ali advocate pleaded quashment of the three notices.

It was contended that the HEC issued the notices in question in violation of Section 10 of the HEC Ordinance, 2002. The commission, they said, practically stalled functioning of the varsity. They further argued that the HEC trespassed its jurisdiction by pronouncing suspension of the admission process.

The order also suspended the HEC's action, as announced on February 13, of declaring that the commission would not recognise degrees issued to students enrolled in the fall 2022 semester. The varsity's spokesman said the order has affirmed the rights of students and the university's ability to continue its educational programmes without external impediments.

Prof Dr Zia Ul-Qayyum, Executive Director HEC, in his February 17 letter to VC Isra stated, "It has been observed that Isra University continues to face significant internal disputes and operational challenges particularly concerning composition of its Board of Governors".

He went on to question strategic direction, financial stability, policy formulation, approval process, oversight of key appointments, maintenance of academic standards, quality assurance, regulatory compliance and overall governance in such a situation.

The university's management eventually returned to the notable Kazi family, founders of the university and its forerunner the Isra Islamic Foundation, in October 2023, after years long legal battles with former VC Isra.