HEC(Higher Edu Commission) under attack, govt replaced HEC Director

[Leader]

A coup against HEC in the making


ISLAMABAD: The Establishment Division (ED) in-tandem with the PM Secretariat is gunning to grab political control over the Higher Education Commission (HEC), arguably the only government entity that has been a successful service deliverer with a little or no incidence of corrupt practices.

HEC is just too sweet a fruit to be left unplucked. The Commission has an annual budget of Rs48 billion, covering 72 public sector universities with more than 100,000 employees. The Commission controls development projects worth more than Rs200 billion and directly manages 14,000 scholarships.

Additionally, the HEC is currently implementing a hefty $300 million World Bank Tertiary Education Support Programme after successfully implementing a $100 million Higher Education Support Programme.

In a recent World Bank document titled ‘Implementation Completion and Results Report’ the Bank has rated the HEC as ‘highly satisfactory’, a rating that has rarely been given to any Government of Pakistan implementing agency.

How can our political warlords leave a treasure like that beyond the reach of their political manoeuverings?The tussle over political control of HEC’s resources has been going on for quite a while. On April 13, 2011, the Supreme Court (SC) passed an order that the Government of Pakistan should not act in violation of HEC Ordinance 2002 and that HEC would continue to function as before. Under Section 11 of the HEC Act, “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 various activities of the Commission.”

Under Section 12 of the HEC Act the Commission is empowered to appoint officers, servants and advisers in the HEC and also “to make rules of recruitment of its employees.” For the record, all appointments to the HEC have been made by the Commission since the very inception of the HEC.


On November 29, the Establishment Division actually launched its coup by giving marching orders to Major (R) Qamar Zaman, a BS-22 officer of Secretariat Group, to take over “charge of the post of the Executive Director, Higher Education Commission, with immediate effect and until further orders.” On the face of it, the Establishment Division’s order does not hold ground as the appointment is the exclusive prerogative of the Commission.

To be certain, politicisation of the HEC is bound to make it into another PIA, ‘great people to fly with’ or another Tezgam Express that left Karachi last Friday but is yet to arrive anywhere.

A coup against HEC in the making - thenews.com.pk


In simple language HEC is an autonomous body. it has got nothing to do with establishment division firing its Director and sending in their own...



Imran lashes out at government for replacing HEC director


Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan condemned the government’s decision to replace the higher education commission’s (HEC) executive director on Friday, saying that the incumbent regime was targeting institution HEC as part of an ongoing policy to destroy all viable state institutions of the country.

“It seems that all viable state institutions are being destroyed one by one under a plan. While the HEC, the only institution helping the youth, was not functioning as well as it could, it was still delivering in the field of higher education and the government should be supporting it by enabling it to improve it’s functioning,” Imran Khan said in a statement issued here from the party’s media office on Friday.

Unfortunately, Imran said, the government has been impeding the HEC’s work since it came into power. “Now it has gone for a full assault on the HEC, eyeing its resources for further corruption,” the PTI chief alleged.

Imran pointed out that the government had contravened the SC order of April 2011, specifically asking the government not to violate HEC Ordinance 2002 by getting the Establishment Division to appoint a bureaucrat as the Executive Director of the HEC. However, the HEC Ordinance dictates that only the Commission can legally take that decision. The PTI chief lamented that the worst part of the move was that a retired Major, now a Grade 22 Bureaucrat, had been given this appointment replacing a qualified technocrat.

The PTI chief, who has campaigned against corruption as part of his election slogan said the HEC’s performance has been devoid of major corruption and scandal which has allowed it to gain financial support from international institutions such as the World Bank – who otherwise have been reluctant to fund projects in Pakistan.

“In the corrupt tradition of this present set of rulers, no viable institution is being left standing to carry out its functions in an efficient and transparent manner. Instead, all state institutions are being targeted and willfully destroyed, especially those with substantial budgets. Government corporations have been pillaged, bankrupted and politicised. Now education, which is already at the bottom of this government’s priorities, will suffer yet another major setback with this wanton destruction of the HEC,” alleged Imran.

Imran lashes out at government for replacing HEC director – The Express Tribune

blooooooodyy looooterssssss

 

[Leader]

HEC objects to fresh posting




The Higher Education Commission (HEC) administration has strongly reacted to the decision according to which Major (r) Qamar Zaman, previously posted as Secretary Education and Trainings Division, has been given the additional charge of executive director, HEC.

In this regard, the HEC has made an urgent request for a meeting of the commission with Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. In a statement issued on Wednesday, HEC has termed the appointment against the decision of Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The statement explains that as per the HEC Act, Section 11 the commission has the power to 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.

“In spite of these wording of the law, the Chairman, HEC Wednesday received a notification from the Establishment Division stating that “Major (r) Qamar Zaman, a BS-22 officer of Secretariat Group, previously posted as secretary, Education and Trainings Division, is allowed to hold additional charge of the post of Executive Director, Higher Education Commission, with immediate effect and until further orders,” it says.

Since August 28, 2012 there has been extensive correspondence between the HEC and the Establishment Division as well as the PM Secretariat on the authority of the commission to appoint the executive director as well as all other employees, including those on MP Scales. In each case the comprehensive legal position, decision of the Supreme Court as well as clear and unequivocal decision of the Commission has been conveyed.

Earlier, upon receipt of a letter from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat asking the commission to put the process of appointment of the executive director on hold, the HEC chairman obtained legal opinion from Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, who recommended that the commission to respond to the letter by informing the principal secretary to the prime minister that the process of appointment of Dr. Naqvi is now complete and hence cannot be put on hold.

He suggested writing to authorities that the letter of the prime minister will be treated by the commission as a request to reconsider the decision to extend the term of Dr. Naqvi. However, in the meantime, Dr. Naqvi will continue in office.

Subsequently, on October 24, the HEC chairman received a letter from the Establishment Division where the Division declared all appointments on MP Scales by the commission as ‘illegal.’ It was also noted that, “the appointing authority in case of MP scales will be the prime minister”

The letter received from the Establishment Division (Ref. U.O.No.1/112/2002-E-6, dated October 24, 2012) was placed in a special meeting of the commission called to review the issue referred to in the letter, in its entirety. All communications on the issue received from the office of the principal secretary to the prime minister, as well as the Establishment Division, along with history of MP Scale appointments at the HEC and all other pertinent material was placed before the commission. Legal opinion received from Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan was also brought to the attention of the commission.

Following detailed discussion in the special commission meeting, the commission noted that the commission is fully empowered under the HEC Act (Section 12, recruitment of officers, etc.) to appoint officers, servants and advisers in the HEC.

It was noted that all appointments to the HEC, including those on MP Scales, are made by the commission since its inception and notified to all offices of the government. Thereafter, for the past decade, using the same process, the commission has continued to appoint all officers, who have fully interacted, within their legal ambit, with all offices of the government of Pakistan without hindrance.

In view of the above, the commission recorded its decision declaring that the decisions were taken in accordance with the HEC Act. The commission also decided that appointment of HEC employees, including those on MP scales, lie within the purview of the commission.

The Supreme Court in its Order given on hearing Constitution Petitions 33 35/2011, Professor G. A. Miana vs the Federation of Pakistan and others had declared on April 13, 2011 the HEC shall continue discharging its functions and duties as it had been doing in the past unless and until a fresh legislation is promulgated and the notification dated March 31, 2011 shall have no effect on the function of the HEC in view of the provisions of the Ordinance, 2002 and in case of any conflict or in-consistency between the notification and the provisions of the ordinance, the ordinance shall prevail.


HEC objects to fresh posting - thenews.com.pk






#SaveHEC

 

[Leader]

attempted murder of HEC !!


Attempted murder of HEC | The Nation


Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke. But that is exactly what the government is trying to do with the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Here’s what has happened: HEC is an autonomous body, which means it appoints its own leadership. Since its inception, it has been led by able, qualified and upright men with solid academic credentials. Now the government has issued a notification removing the Executive Director of HEC and replacing him with a bureaucrat. HEC says this is against the rules. A legal standoff ensues.
Lawyers will now do what lawyers usually do. Rules and regulations will be bandied about, detailed references to article this of section that will be quoted. Facts and figures in support of respective arguments will be flung like poisonous arrows. In the end, there will be a legal, or possibly a politico-administrative end to this sorry saga.
Why does it matter to all of us? The answer does not have much to do with legal arguments. It is, in fact, much simpler.
We need the HEC to stay the way it is.
Think of it this way: Here is an institution that has delivered results where others have miserably failed. It is no secret that education as a whole is a heap of smouldering mess in Pakistan. If there was ever a failure in our country – and God knows there is no shortage of them – it is the state education structure. In such a toxic environment, HEC stands out as an example of how things can be done right when there is a will and a capability to do so. For more than a decade now, HEC has been driving a merit-based system through which state universities have been reformed, excellent standards have been set, professionals have joined up and thousands of students have been sent abroad on scholarships.
And all this has been done with no nepotism, no favouritism, no sifarish and no cutting of corners. Meritocracy – whenever it is allowed to prevail – delivers results. That is what HEC has done.
And that is what the government cannot seem to stomach. The government, sadly, is polluted with two species that cannot help but milk the state for their own vested interests. Let’s call these species the politicians and bureaucrats. These two specimens of nature survive in a cesspool of kinship and patronage. In this cesspool, power is defined not in terms of what good you can do for society, but what good you can do for your family, friends and friends of friends. This is the power to oblige, the power to override merit in favour of nepotism. Through such power, these two species feed off the spoils of the state and make others dependent on them, instead of being dependent on their own merit.
In this cesspool, you win not by what you know, but who you know.
These species start to salivate at the thought of their tentacles around HEC. When they look at HEC from the vantage point of their cesspool, they don’t see the reforms that HEC has initiated; they don’t see the painstaking work being done to improve standards of universities and helping bright and deserving Pakistanis get scholarship money; they don’t even see intensive efforts to improve curricula and encourage serious research.
No sir, they see none of this. What they see is the Rs 48 billion budget that the HEC controls. They see control of public sector universities with thousands of jobs that can be doled out to favourites; they see scholarships that can be distributed among friends and family; and they see millions of dollars of donor money being pumped into this centre of excellence.
They see this, and they drool. They smack their lips and sharpen their knives, and hunger to sink their teeth into this piece of prime meat.
Once this species is done, what is left is a carcass. Think PIA. Think Steel Mills. Think Railways. Visualise the destruction wreaked upon these institutions.
Then think of what will happen to HEC once these species wrap their tentacles around it. Think, and shed a tear of blood.
Here’s the tragedy. The bureaucrat who the government wants to lead the HEC may be a competent man. But he is a bureaucrat who has spent his career managing this or that ministry or such and such district or department. He is a generalist who knows as much about education as I know about aeronautical engineering. It is not his fault. He is a product of a system bequeathed to us by the British, the so called “steel frame” of bureaucracy which is said to hold the structure of the state in place. But times have moved on. The age of generalization is rapidly giving way to the age of specialization.
HEC has succeeded because it has been led by specialists like Dr Atta-ur-Rehman and Dr Sohail Naqvi. Had it been managed by federal secretaries, it would have turned out to be another PIA. Shudder.
We should make the entire government work like the HEC, instead of trying to make the HEC work like the entire government.
If there is any sense left in official circles, they would get their paws off HEC and let it serve the cause of higher education.
Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke. Please.
The writer is the host of “Tonight with Fahd” on Waqt News. Email: fahd.husain1@gmail.com Twitter: @Fahdhusain

 

[Leader]

Atta sees through plot against Higher Education Commission


Says share in Rs48 bn budget, admissions and scholarships for nephews, nieces of politicians and revenge of MPs with forged degrees

are behind govt’s move to take over HEC

Islamabad: Pakistan Academy of Sciences chairman and founder chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Professor Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman on Tuesday termed the appointment of Federal Secretary Ministry of EducationMajor Qamar Zaman on the position of HEC executive director against the legal process and contempt of Supreme Court decision.

He spoke up for the autonomy of HEC in a press conference organised after the recent tension between government and HEC administration over the appointment of HEC executive director. Professor Dr. Khalid Mehmood Khan and Professor Dr Shami were also present in the press conference.

Rehman said that the government’s move to decide major appointments in HEC is a plot against the autonomy of the commission. “It is clear that the commission has final jurisdiction on the matter of appointment of officers of the HEC on MP scales. The secretariat of the commission is bound to implement this decision of the commission.” He said that the decision is illegal as under the present law that governs the operation of HEC, it is only the 18-member commission that has the powers to appoint all officers, servants and advisors. “The prime minister’s office or the Establishment Division has no power under law to interfere in the autonomous functioning of HEC, although the prime minister is the controlling authority of the HEC. The PM has only power to appoint it’s chairman who must be an internationally eminent scholar as per law, but he cannot remove the chairman or appoint other officers of HEC,” he explained.

He said that the commission can also formulate its own rules and regulations. “This level of autonomy was deliberately incorporated in the law at the time that HEC was being set up in 2002, as it was visualised that nepotism, cronyism and corruption would creep into this organisation if the government was allowed to meddle in its functioning, as has happened in so many organisations in Pakistan.” He said that the HEC has thus been performing its functions independent of any government interference for the last 10 years and that is one key reason for its outstanding success.

He termed the government’s decision a direct affront and open contempt to the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued on April 12 last year in which the court quashed a government attempt to shred HEC into pieces as a part of the devolution process.

“The Supreme Court had declared at that time that action of the government was unconstitutional and had decided that the HEC status could not be changed,” he said. The exact words of the Supreme Court decision were “The HEC shall continue discharging its functions and duties as it had been doing in the past”.

He pointed out that the HEC has been appointing all officers with the blessings of the various governments including those on MP scales for the last 10 years adding that these positions were formally created by the Finance Ministry and so HEC has not broken the law in any manner.

Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman said that there could be many reasons why government decided to face contempt of the Supreme Court and take over the functioning of HEC. The first, he said, is HEC’s Rs48 billion annual budget that has helped to uplift the universities of Pakistan so much so that there are now several that are ranked among the top 500 of the world in international rankings whereas there were none till 2004. “With crooked politicians and government officials in abundance, many are dying to get their fingers into this pie.” Secondly, he said that control of HEC would also give them the clout to coerce the universities to grant admissions to nephews and nieces and to dole out foreign scholarships to favourites, something that has not been possible thus far because of the culture of strict merit that has prevailed in HEC since its inception.

“In a government where wheeling and dealing is the norm, an organisation that takes decisions solely on merit sticks out like a sore thumb. The transformation of HEC into a “normal” government department that “obediently follows the commands of those in power” suits many interests.

The third and most important reason in his opinion was that the HEC has incurred the wrath of a large number of Parliamentarians when it pronounced that 51 of them had forged their degrees in order to become eligible for elections and another 250 probably had also forged their degree documents as they refused to supply their original degrees and mark sheets in spite of the Supreme Court having so ordered. “What better way to protect themselves than to destroy the very institution that threatens their existence as parliamentarians?”

He said that what is happening in HEC must be seen in the larger context of the plight of science and education in Pakistan. “A series of sinister events have unfolded in the last few years that appear to be linked to an overall systematic strategy to destroy these vital sectors so that we will always be at the mercy of foreign masters for all our technological needs.”

He said that the government has closed down two key institutions that have an important bearing on Pakistan’s future including the National Commission of Biotechnology and the National Commission of Nanotechnology. “It was also decided to lower the level of the highest national science body, the National Commission of Science and Technology which previously could only be chaired by the prime minister of Pakistan — now anyone nominated by the Prime Minister can chair it, thereby considerably diminishing its clout.”

He said that the HEC has also been under attack with the budgets of universities slashed by about 50 per cent, and the powers of the Executive Director as Federal Secretary taken away.


Atta sees through plot against Higher Education Commission - thenews.com.pk

 

[Jango]

HEC and related stuff was the least good Musharraf did in his tenure, PPP does not even want to let this institution be successful.

Sad state of affairs, the progress of Higher education and education in general will be retarded significantly IMO.

The good ray of hope though is that elections are around the corner, and if someone else wins, they might revert this decision.

 

[Leader]

PTI's student wing to challenge HEC director's removal in court




The student wing of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Insaf student federation (ISF) has decided to challenge the appointment of new Executive Director Higher Education Commission before the Islamabad high court.

A statement released by the ISF president Farrukh Habib on Wednesday read that the removal of HEC executive director was a clear cut violation of the HEC by-laws.

“The government has political motives behind this appointment as it wanted to control the autonomous commission for its vested political interests,” the statement alleged.

“The government wanted to grab the funds allocated for higher education of students by transferring them for their upcoming election campaign,” the statement added.

ISF leader expressed complete solidarity with the HEC authorities and urged the government to take the decision back in the greater national interest.

PTI’s student wing to challenge HEC director’s removal in court – The Express Tribune

 

[Leader]

Dear Colleagues:



This is to update you on the recent confusion that is prevailing regarding appointments at HEC:



1. Since Aug 28, 2012 there has been extensive correspondence between the HEC and the Establishment Division as well as the PM Secretariat on the authority of the Commission to appoint the Executive Director as well as all other employees, including those on MP Scales. In each case the comprehensive legal position, decision of the Supreme Court as well as clear and unequivocal decision of the Commission has been conveyed.



2. As per the HEC Act, Section 11. Secretariat of Commission. -- (1) 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.



3. In spite of this absolutely clear wording of the law, the Chairman, HEC today received a notification from the Establishment Division stating that:

"Maj(retd.) Qamar Zaman, a BS-22 officer of Secretariat Group, previously posted as Secretary, Education and Trainings Division is allowed to hold additional Charge of the post of Executive Director, Higher Education Commission, with immediate effect and until further orders."



4. Earlier, upon receipt of a letter from the Prime Minister's Secretariat asking the Commission to put the process of appointment of the Executive Director on hold, the Chairman HEC obtained legal opinion from Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan which concluded that:

"It is therefore recommended that the Commission respond to the letter in question by informing the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister as follows:

a. The process of appointment of Dr. Naqvi is now complete and hence cannot be put on hold.

b. The letter of the Prime Minister will be treated by the Commission as a request to reconsider the decision to extend the term of Dr. Naqvi. However, in the meantime, Dr. Naqvi will continue in office.

c. Given that Dr. Naqvi has already taken up charge of his new term, the Commission lacks locus poenitentiae and cannot recall its earlier decision to extend his tenure."



5. Subsequently, on October 24th the HEC Chairman had received a letter from the Establishment Division written in response to a reference received by them from the PM secretariat. In this letter the Establishment Division declared all appointment on MP Scales by the Commission as ?illegal. "It was also noted that, ?the appointing authority in case of MP scales will be the Prime Minister"



6. The letter received from the Establishment Division (Ref. U.O.No.1/112/2002-E-6, dated October 24th, 2012) was placed in a special meeting of the Commission called to review the issue referred to in the letter, in its entirety. All communication on the issue received from the office of the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, as well as the Establishment Division, along with history of MP Scale appointments at the HEC and all other pertinent material was placed before the Commission. Legal Opinion received from Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan was also brought to the attention of the Commission.



7. Following detailed discussion in the Special Commission meeting, the Commission noted that:

a. The Commission is fully empowered under the HEC Act [Section 12. Recruitment of officers, etc.] to appoint officers, servants and advisors in the HEC.

b. The Commission is also empowered "to make rules for recruitment of its employees" [Section 12 (2)].

c. All appointments to the HEC, including those on MP Scales, are made by the Commission since its inception and notified to all offices of the Government. Thereafter, for the past decade, using the same process, the Commission has continued to appoint all officers who have fully interacted, within their legal ambit, with all offices of the Government of Pakistan without hindrance.

d. The Commission noted with concern that the Establishment Division has deemed it fit to declare the actions of the Commission as "illegal." The Commission does not find this declaration to be acceptable as the Commission has, at all times, acted within the ambit of the HEC Act. The Commission is of the view that all appointments to the HEC are within the domain of the HEC as an autonomous body.



8. In view of the above the Commission recorded its decision in the following terms:

"Decision: Following reconsideration of the matter, the Commission decided that the decisions taken in its 27th meeting were taken in accordance with the HEC Act. The Commission also decided that appointment of HEC employees, including those on MP scales, lie within the purview of the Commission."



9. It may also be noted that the Supreme Court in its Order given on hearing Constitution Petitions 33 35/2011, Prof. G. A. Miana vs the Federation of Pakistan and others had declared on April 13, 2011 that:

a. The HEC shall continue discharging its functions and duties as it had been doing in the past unless and until a fresh legislation is promulgated.

b. That the notification dated 31st March, 2011 shall have no effect on the function of the HEC in view of the provisions of the Ordinance, 2002 and in case of any conflict /in-consistency between the notification and the provisions of the Ordinance, the Ordinance shall prevail.



10. It is clear that the Commission has final jurisdiction on the matter of appointment of officers of the HEC on MP Scales. The Secretariat of the Commission is bound to implement this decision of the Commission. The Commission is, therefore, not in a position to implement the order communicated via the notification of paragraph 3.



11. An urgent request has been made for a meeting of the Commission with the Prime Minister. It is hoped that a meeting will be held at the earliest to resolve the matter.



We look forward to your support in this matter.



A Loyal Pakistani


email from savehecsavepakistan @ gmail . com

 

[Saleem]

the solution is quite simple: set up madame guillotine inside the establishment division and confiscate all moveable and immovable property of these ppl; a few example and they will all either leave or become straight as a rod..........

 

[tarrar]

PPP & PML-N both are destroying the educational system of Pakistan which was made by Gen. Musharraf's in his time. This shows how bastards these 2 parties are. These 2 terrorist parties are truly the enemies of Pakistan.

 

[Leader]

the solution is quite simple: set up madame guillotine inside the establishment division and confiscate all moveable and immovable property of these ppl; a few example and they will all either leave or become straight as a rod..........

Seriously this should be done with the bureaucrats !!

 

[Leader]

''Save HEC Save Pakistan''

All ISF chapters are directed to arrange rallies in support of HEC and against govt intevention from this Friday. Educate students in all major universities, gather them and highlight on local media. Kindly plan your activity immediately and share info.

For any info contact: Arsalan Ghumman 03453051747

Regards,
Alamgir Mehsood
General Secretary
ISF Pakistan

 

[kernelx]

''Save HEC Save Pakistan''

All ISF chapters are directed to arrange rallies in support of HEC and against govt intevention from this Friday. Educate students in all major universities, gather them and highlight on local media. Kindly plan your activity immediately and share info.

For any info contact: Arsalan Ghumman 03453051747

Regards,
Alamgir Mehsood
General Secretary
ISF Pakistan

Great job by PTI