ISLAMABAD: The government has initiated a search for the next Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman as Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed’s extended tenure ends July 30.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed an eight-member committee led by Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to find a successor for Pakistan’s struggling higher education sector.
Leadership Transition Begins
The search committee includes academics and federal officials tasked with selecting a candidate within weeks.
Dr. Ahmed, first appointed in 2014, served multiple terms despite criticism of HEC’s performance from Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
Budget Cuts Worsen Sector Woes
Universities face a 40% development budget slash (Rs39bn) and stagnant recurring funds (Rs66bn) despite inflation.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui warned Pakistan lags behind regional peers like India in education investment, demanding Rs80bn for each budget head.
