ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: Senate Standing Committee on Education and Training on Tuesday showed annoyance on notifications issued by Higher Education Commission (HEC), regarding extension of contracts of Executive Director and Advisor HRD in violation of Prime Minister’s orders and sought a detailed report from Secretary Ministry of Education and Training (MET).

Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash, while chairing the meeting said that on August 27 during a meeting, HEC Board decided to extend contracts of ED and Advisor HED.

On September 3, a letter was sent by PM Secretariat to hold the process of extensions but HEC issued notifications regarding extensions.

Chairman HEC, Dr Javaid Laghari said that notification of extensions was issued on September 7 but the directive from the PM reached the HEC on September 11.

Due to which it was not possible to stop the notification. However, he said that a summery regarding that issue has been sent to the Law Division.

The chairman of the Committee asked why PM’s directive took seven days to reach the HEC, which was just a few kilometres away from PM Secretariat.

He instructed secretary MET, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry to look into the matter and file a detailed report regarding the issue in next meeting.

Abdul Nabi Bangash said that it was the prerogative of the PM to give extensions to the Management Position (MP) scale officers and ordinance of HEC also says that only PM can appoint and extend the contracts of MP scale officers but HEC violated the rules.

Secretary MET assured that since the Sindh High Court has again placed the HEC under supervision of the ministry, so the ministry will assure that HEC maintain an upward movement in the interest of the country.