ISLAMABAD: First meeting of the Search Committee for appointment of new Chairman of Higher Education Commission (HEC) held here on Wednesday as Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stated that process will be completed without unnecessary delays.

The HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed is all set to complete its tenure on July 30.

However, the education ministry, yet to float advertisement for inviting applications from the candidates.

The search committee meeting held here with Federal Education Minister in the chair. Minister of State Wajiha Qamar, Secretary Education Nadeem Mehbub and the Vice Chancellors of Dewan University and Aga Khan University attended the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the appointment process of the HEC Chairperson will be carried out in a transparent and efficient manner. He emphasized that ensuring leadership based on merit is critical to improving the quality of higher education in Pakistan.

“Transparency, merit, and timely action are our guiding principles,” said the Federal Minister. He further said that the process will be completed without unnecessary delays. The next meeting of the search committee is scheduled to be held on July 16.

On June 12, 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the committee, and the education ministry subsequently notified it on June 17.

HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, who previously served as a member and ED of the HEC, was first appointed in 2014 for a four-year term. His initial tenure ended in 2018. In 2022, he was appointed chairman for a second term of two years, which lapsed in July last year. However, the federal government reappointed him for one more year, until July 30.

Sources, however, said that once the advertisement is published, generally a minimum of three to four weeks are given to candidates to submit their applications, followed by interview process. After interview process, the search committee will shortlist three candidates for Prime Minister who will pick one of them for the post of HEC chairman .

If the search committee could not complete the task before July 30, PM will appoint any commission members as acting chairman HEC till the appointment of a regular one.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2025