Tension rises as HEC chairman chairs meeting to review executive director’s performance

Tensions between Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and Executive Director Dr. Zia-ul-Qayyum is said to have intensified.

Dr Ahmed, whose extended tenure is set to conclude in three months, recently issued three explanations to Dr Qayyum. Subsequently, a four-member committee meeting was convened on Monday to assess the performance of the executive director. The meeting was chaired by Dr Ahmed himself. However, due to the absence of concrete evidence supporting the allegations against Dr Qayyum, no decision was reached.

It was resolved that another meeting would be convened next week, wherein the chairman would present evidence to the committee members to facilitate appropriate action. Meanwhile, Dr Zia-ul-Qayyum addressed a letter to the commission members, asserting that the chairman should be barred from presiding over the performance review committee. He stated, “The initiation of proceedings against me appears to be rooted in bias and gives rise to serious concerns.”

He further remarked, “It seems that the concerned authority has already revealed its mindset, inevitably casting legitimate doubts on the objectivity and impartiality of the proceedings.” In his letter, he also alleged that under the current chairmanship, the office of the executive director had been persistently neglected. He wrote, “Officers have been directed to bypass the Commission Secretariat and engage in external communications only with the special approval and instructions of the chairman.” Moreover, Dr Qayyum pointed out that “numerous administrative and financial decisions have been made without involving the executive director’s office,” describing this as a violation not only of governance protocols but also of the commission’s ordinance.

Dr Qayyum emphasized that the chairman must refrain from chairing the performance review meetings, citing a “clear conflict of interest” and raising “serious concerns regarding the impartiality of the process.” He urged the commission members to “conduct an independent review of the matter” and to provide him with “a fair opportunity to present a factual and evidence-backed defense, supported by official records.”

He also sought a personal hearing to express his concerns regarding “the manner in which certain foreign-funded projects and other developmental initiatives are being executed.” He stated that he had “reservations about the execution methods of several activities.”

In response, HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed stated that Dr Zia-ul-Qayyum had been appointed as executive director during a meeting chaired by himself, and at that time, no objections had been raised regarding his chairmanship. Dr Ahmed remarked, “This meeting to assess the executive director’s performance was a routine matter that should have been conducted much earlier.” He added, “The executive director submitted his report after a delay of three and a half months and is now attempting to create controversy by objecting to the committee meeting chaired by me.”