ISLAMABAD, Feb 03 (APP): Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday informed the Senate of Pakistan that the process for the appointment of the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission was being restarted to ensure selection on open merit.
Responding to a question raised by Senator Kamran Murtaza, the minister said the government had earlier initiated the appointment process and conducted interviews through a search committee. However, he said it was felt that another round of the process was required keeping in view the wide-ranging and critical functions of the HEC, including curriculum oversight, regulation of universities and maintenance of academic standards.
He clarified that the HEC could not be termed dysfunctional in the absence of a permanent chairman, as it was a statutory commission whose meetings were not dependent solely on the chairman’s presence.
He said the Executive Director played a key role in managing day-to-day affairs, while provisions for an acting chairman also existed under the law.
Azam Nazeer Tarar said the Prime Minister was personally overseeing the process to ensure that the most competent individual was appointed strictly on merit.
The minister further clarified that the post of HEC chairman was an open-merit position and not subject to provincial rotation or quota.
He said if a qualified professor from Balochistan met the merit criteria and was selected, it would be welcomed, but the appointment would be made purely on merit.
/APP-rzr-raz