KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday stayed the process for proposed appointment of Dr Samreen Hussain as executive director of the Sindh Higher Education Commission (SHEC) till March 30.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar also issued notices to the secretary of universities & boards, chairman of SHEC and Dr Samreen Hussain as well as to the provincial law officer for the next hearing.

Petitioner Abdul Ahad Ahmar contended that the SHEC had sought applications for the position of executive director-I and initially Dr Samreen, who had served as member of the selection board of SHEC, had interviewed the candidates for the post. However, he argued that the SHEC had rejected all the candidates and after second advertisement, Dr Samreen was surprisingly found among the candidates for the position in question.

Petitioner alleges selected candidate Dr Samreen does not have required 20-year experience

The petitioner argued that as per the advertisements, the applicants/candidates were required to have 20-year work experience on senior academic and research position in any government/semi-government/autonomous bodies or reputable organisation in the higher education sector.

He submitted that it was a matter of record that Dr Samreen was appointed as ‘professor’ for the first time in March 2015 and she did not possess requisite experience for such a post.

The petitioner argued that despite an inadequate experience of Dr Samreen, the selection board of the SHEC had selected her for the position of executive director in gross violation of rules and regulation and Section 12 of the Sindh Higher Education Commission Act, 2013.

He contended that she had also previously attempted to become executive director, but the technical committee of the SHEC had refused because of her inadequate experience.

The petitioner sought a writ of quo warranto against Dr Samreen for her proposed appointment as executive director of the SHEC and pleaded to declare the same as illegal and void.

“Notice to respondents as well as AG Sindh for 30.03.2022, till then parties to maintain status quo,” the court ordered.

Stay extended

Meanwhile, the same bench on Tuesday extended its earlier interim restraining order till March 15 on a petition filed against the proposed appointment of Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Asim Hussain as chairman of the SHEC for the third time after the respondents sought time to file comments.

On Feb 19, the SHC had directed the respondents to maintain status quo till March 1, after it was informed that the summary for reappointment of Dr Asim was pending before the chief minister of Sindh.

The petitioner contended that appointment of respondent for the third time as chairman of provincial HEC was in violation of Rule 5(5) of the Sindh Higher Education Commission Act, 2013.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022