KU seminar on HEC challenges postponed due to administrative pressure: sources
Sources say pressure from Dr Attaur Rahman has led to postponement of seminar
February 16, 2022
- Dr Attaur Rahman's pressure leads to postponement of seminar: sources.
- Sources say there are tensions between Dr Rahman and Dr Tariq Banuri.
- Dr Banuri was last month restored as HEC chairman on IHC's directives.
KARACHI: A seminar scheduled to highlight the challenges of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, scheduled to take place on February 18, has been postponed due to administrative pressure, sources informed Geo News Wednesday.
Sources said Chairman HEC Dr Tariq Banuri was invited as a chief guest for the seminar, however, due to his tensions with HEC member Dr Attaur Rahman, he declined to attend.
Dr Banuri was dismissed as the HEC chairman after Dr Rahman levelled allegations against him, following which he was removed from office. After he was let go, Dr Banuri hurled allegations at the government.
However, last month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had issued orders to reinstate Dr Banuri as the chairman of the HEC.
Sources said two officials from the HEJ research institute had asked teachers to cancel the event after Dr Rahman expressed dismay over Dr Banuri being invited to the seminar.
Meanwhile, the decision of the Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) to postpone the event has drawn ire from some teachers of the country.
"The KUTS should not involve itself in the politics between Dr Banuri and Dr Rahman," Professor Dr Riaz Ahmed told Geo News, noting that "an illegally posted man (Dr Rahman) was, unfortunately, pressurising teachers".
It is pertinent to mention that the HEC has delegated Dr Banuri's powers to the commission’s Executive Director Shaista Suhail, which emerged last week.
According to a notification issued by the HEC’s Assistant Director HR Muhammad Amjid Hussain Shah, the powers have been transferred to Executive Director Shaista Suhail under a resolution tabled by the secretary of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MFEPT), which was supported by 14 out of 21 members of the HEC, Daily Jang reported.
