ISLAMABAD: Three public sector universities in Islamabad are being run without regular heads, raising question marks over efficiency of the education ministry, Higher Education Commission and the chancellor office.

The National Skill University (NSU) and Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) are being run without regular vice chancellors while International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) has no regular rector. These posts are lying vacant for long, but no serious efforts were made to fill the posts with fulltime administrators.

NSU has been without a regular vice chancellor since October 22, 2023, when Vice Chancellor Dr Mohammad Mukhtar’s tenure ended. Later, he was given the acting charge and kept the charge for around three years till June 30. After 2023, the post was advertised twice but no appointment was made. Currently, the university’s day-to-day affairs are being managed by a professor in accordance with the seniority order, and the arrangement is affecting its regular functioning.

Meanwhile, the post of VC QAU fell vacant in February this year, when Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, after being appointed as the chairman of the HEC, relinquished charge on February 6. Currently, a senior dean and faculty member is running the affairs of QAU on acting charge basis as an advertisement is yet to be floated by the education ministry for the appointment of the VC.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court in its judgement on October 24, 2024 suspended then rector of IIUI for violation of university ordinance, (remained suspended till being terminated by the chancellor recently). The court also settled who would run the rector’s office in the interim. It directed that the chairman HEC, or his nominee who is a permanent member of the HEC, will hold acting charge until a permanent rector was appointed.

Following the judgement, the then chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed was appointed as the acting rector of IIUI. He held the office ex officio, by virtue of being the chairman HEC.

Later, when Dr Ahmed completed his tenure as chairman HEC, the charge was not given to any commission members. Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhtar was later appointed as chairman HEC on February 6, but he was not given the charge of rector IIUI.

Meanwhile, the education ministry through a notification dated February 26 gave the additional charge of rector to the president of IIUI Prof Dr Ahmed Saad Al-Ahmed, who is currently looking after both the president and rector offices.

Some IIUI faculty members said that the rector is the statutory check on the president’s administration. They said in several matters the rector acts on the president’s recommendation: the president proposes, and an independent rector scrutinises and decides.

When contacted, an officer of the education ministry said that a search committee was being finalised for appointment of regular VC QAU. Asked about NSU, he said that the ministry was also making efforts for early appointment of VC of the university.

“As far as IIUI rector position is concerned, actually the post was not vacant until recently. The rector who was suspended by Supreme Court and after an inquiry was terminated recently. So now we will take steps for appointment of a regular rector,” he said and defended additional charge of the rector IIUI being held by the president of the university.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2026