Delayed appointments: SC expresses ire over headless institutions

The Higher Education Commission is among several govt depts whose top posts remained unfilled.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court questioned on Tuesday the incumbent government’s inability to fill key posts of several government institutions.

Expressing displeasure, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja asked the attorney general why the committees had failed to find suitable candidates for the key posts. “Why is the government hesitant to appoint heads of so many institutions like the Higher Education Commission (HEC), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) and Federal Services Tribunal (FST)?”

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, was hearing the case related to mushroom growth of law colleges in the country. Pakistan Bar Council had filed a petition seeking implementation of new rules and procedures for affiliation of new colleges with the universities. The apex bar wants to formulate new rules with the coordination of HEC.

The apex court directed the Punjab University to inspect if all its affiliated colleges were fulfilling the criterion set down by the university and asked it to submit a report.

Additional Attorney General Shah Khawar informed the court that Dr Mukhtar Ahmad was the executive director of the commission. The court observed that as per rules any member of the commission can serve as chairman of the HEC for three months till the slot was vacant.

Quizzing the attorney over the fee structures of such colleges, Justice Chaudhry remarked that such colleges were ruining the future of the students.

The Chief Justice sought a full list of universities and affiliated colleges, saying that the noble profession is being commercialised in the name of different universities.

Justice Jawwad said that he too had previously taught in a law university for two years and the court wanted to ensure that a standard of education was maintained in such institutions.

As per PBC’s proposal a serving judge must be included in the governing body of college for its affiliation with any university. So that transparency could be ensured.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2013.