HEC chief appointment: IHC seeks explanation for delay

Former sessions judge files petition seeking court’s directions over the appointment.

ISLAMABAD:

The delay in appointing a head for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) landed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed the cabinet division secretary to appoint a responsible officer to appear in court on October 30 to inform it where the issue of appointment stands.

The HEC chief’s post has been lying vacant since August 27 when the term of former HEC Chairman Javed Laghari expired.

On September 1, the government had decided in principle to appoint Shams Kassim-Lakha to the post, but it seemingly forgot to confer with him first. Lakha, the founding president of Aga Khan University, refused to take over the post due to his old age.



Former additional district and sessions judge Khawaja Aurangzeb has filed a petition seeking the court’s directions over the appointment of the HEC chief. The petitioner’s counsel, Afzal Hussain, said the all-important slot has been vacant since August and the government seems unserious about filling the post. He argued that under the HEC Ordinance, the prime minister is the competent authority and requested the court to direct the prime minister to appoint a new head. The petitioner’s counsel maintained that the appointment of a new chairman is vital as thousands of students are directly affected by the vacancy.

“This is a public-interest matter as it directly affects students,” Hussain said. He further informed the court that the basic objective of the HEC is to facilitate higher education institutions. During the hearing, Gul Hussain Aurangzeb, representing HEC, informed the court that the Ministry of Education, Trainings and Standards in Higher Education has forwarded a summary to the prime minister to extend the tenure of Laghari, however, the ministry is still awaiting a reply from the premier.

Sources in the ministry said the summary regarding Laghari’s extension was initially turned down just before the debacle surrounding Lakha’s appointment. The court adjourned the hearing till October 30.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2013.