ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman Dr Attaur Rehman has decided to step down and send his resignation to the Prime Minister Secretariat, an HEC official told Dawn.

Dr Atta had been one of the close aides of former president Pervez Musharraf and remained in his good books till the end. He was made federal minister for science & technology in the first cabinet of Gen Musharraf after the military coup of 1999. In 2002 when the government decided to change the University Grants Commission (UGC) into the HEC, Dr Atta opted to become its chairman.

He completed his first four-year tenure as the Chairman of the HEC in 2006, but was asked to continue for another stint.

The official said Dr Atta was willing to continue in the present set-up at least for another two years, but has decided to vacate the post for unknown reasons.

However, according to an HEC member, “it is quite obvious that he has been asked to leave the post so that somebody else could be accommodated”.

Over the last few years, the HEC has become one of the most well-funded government departments.

In 2002, the budgetary allocations for the higher education sector were only Rs400 to Rs500 million. However, in the current financial year, its budget crossed Rs20 billion.