Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. PHOTO: AFP
After much politicking marked by protests and strikes at the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), the prime minister has appointed a permanent chairperson after a six-month delay.
Dr Ikram Ali Malik from Economics Department of Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi was given the nod on Thursday.
The post fell vacant on September 19, but former chairperson Shaheen Khan was allowed to continue till the appointment of a permanent chief.
She completed her second term this year and was reappointed as chairperson on deputation. Khan previously served as HEC Sports director-general after the commission’s inception and was appointed FBISE chairperson in 2009.
Her four-year tenure officially ended in September 2013, during which issues about the legitimacy of her degree as well as her husband’s involvement in FBISE’s affairs surfaced. On March 13 and 14, board staff began striking against Khan and refused to work until the appointment of new chairperson. They accused her of corrupt practices including siphoning off money from some departments.
Malik is an associate professor in grade 21. He holds a post-doctoral degree from the UK and heads the university quality enhancement cell. Malik has 14 years of teaching experience and during this time, he has produced 16 research papers. His area of interest has been Development Economics, specifically poverty vulnerability and inequality analysis.
After interviewing over 30 candidates at the Ministry of Education, Trainings and Standards in Higher Education, the minister sent a summary of three names to the prime minister in mid-December. State Minister Balighur Rehman headed the interview panel.
Sources at the ministry stated that Rehman personally called the Establishment Division secretary to handpick Malik. “He deemed Malik the best choice and requested the office concerned to give him preference,” said an officer at the ministry, on condition of anonymity.
He also added that on Thursday, the PM invited Balighur Rehman to discuss issues regarding the HEC and FBISE. The minister tried to approach the PM seeking advice about these issues for the last few weeks.
In the summary, Capital Administration and Development Division Joint Education Advisor Rafique Tahir was second on the list and Islamabad Model College for Boys G-10/4 Principal Dr Ali Ahmad Kharal was third.
The PM has approved the summary and a formal notification from Establishment Division is expected to be issued on Friday (today).
Meanwhile, former FBISE chief Khan has formally been informed by the minister to rejoin her parent organisation— the HEC.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2014.
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