ISLAMABAD, Oct 14: The race is on to grab the post of Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman which carries the status of a federal minister, sources close to the development told Dawn.

Dr Attaur Rehman, the outgoing HEC chairman, had already vacated his office and he formally bade farewell to his colleagues last Saturday. He sent his resignation to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on October 9.

National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) Chairman Asim Hussian, a medical doctor; and Dr Javaid Leghari, a PPP senator and president Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), are the front runners in this race, the sources said. The government is yet to make a decision in this regard, which is expected to be taken after President Asif Ali Zardari’s ongoing visit to China. Under the HEC’s Ordinance, the prime minister is the appointing authority of its chairperson.

According to the ordinance under which the HEC was set up back in 2002 by the then president Pervez Musharraf, the controlling authority (prime minister or chief executive of the country) can appoint any person of “international eminence and proven ability who has made significant contribution to the higher education as teacher, researcher or administrator on such terms and conditions as it may determine.” The chairperson shall have the status of a federal minister, says the ordinance.

Talking to Dawn, an HEC member said: “We don’t know if the prime minister has accepted Dr Ata’s resignation or made any decision on the new appointment. Till Tuesday, the HEC has not received any directives from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat to this effect.”

When asked if the HEC’s routine working is being disturbed due to the delay in the appointment of the new chairperson, he said though the official business was being run smoothly, top officials at the HEC were anxiously waiting for the notification of a new chairperson. Replying to another questions, he said any member of the HEC could be appointed as acting chairperson till the time the government took final decision on the new appointment.