ISLAMABAD: The top management of Higher Education Commission (HEC) has once again failed to hire the commission’s permanent executive director who is also the head of HEC secretariat despite the fact that the key post is lying vacant for a record 15 months. The executive director is responsible for the utilisation of over Rs60 billion HEC budget but the post is lying vacant since April 15, 2014 when Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed took the charge as chairman of the commission. The executive director also acts as secretary of the commission (governing board of HEC), which is also responsible for undertaking all key policy decisions for the evaluation, improvement and promotion of higher education, research and development. The acting charge of the important post had been given to Dr Mansoor Akbar Khundi who retired on August 2, 2015. After Dr Kundi’s retirement, the HEC chairman has once again given the additional charge of executive director to Dr Ghulum Raza Bhatti who is working in HEC on deputation. Sources said the commission is being run on ad hoc basis as a number of other senior management slots are also lying vacant including HEC member operations and planning, advisor HRD, advisor quality assurance, advisor finance, advisor monitoring, managing director quality assurance agency, director general learning innovation, director general quality assurance and director general information technology. Last year, the commission’s senior members took notice of ad hocism in HEC and directed the chairman to immediately advertise the post of ED under HEC Rules, 2009. After a lengthy process of scrutiny nine candidates were interviewed for the post and three names were recommended to the HEC selection board for final decision on March 19, 2015 but sources said the chairman was not satisfied with any of the recommended candidates. The board decided to re-advertise the post immediately. But in spite of clear orders of the commission the post has not been advertised so far. According to rules the HEC board has the authority to appoint executive director. “The Commission shall appoint an executive director in the manner prescribed who shall unless earlier removed on any of the grounds specified in sub-section(6) of section 6, shall hold office for four years and shall be responsible for the various activities of the Commission. The executive director shall be the head of the secretariat.” When contacted, chairman Higher Education Commission Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said the post of executive director would soon be advertised after consultation with the Establishment Division. “We were ready to advertise the post when we were told that there is need to get clearance from the Establishment Division,” he said. However senior HEC officials believe that HEC can hire the executive director under its own rules and no clearance is required from the Establishment Division. When asked why the post is not filled for 15 months, the chairman HEC said there were multiple reasons. “First there was a ban on hiring by the government. Last April the ban was lifted and we started the process but it took time and when we finally short-listed three candidates, there were some objections in the meeting of HEC board that more qualified and suitable candidates could not make it to the final list just because there was a 55-year age limit for the job,” he said adding that the board decided to restart the process of hiring. When asked why it took five months for the HEC to prepare a simple advertisement after the board directed the commission on March 19 to immediately advertise the post, he said the process takes time. “Why would I deliberately delay the hiring of permanent executive director? I need someone on this post to help me in managing the affairs of the commission,” Dr Mukhtar said. He dispelled the impression that he was delaying the process in order to have a complete hold on the affairs of the HEC. “This is not true. There are some people who spread rumors about me for vested interests,” the chairman HEC said.
