ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Javaid R. Laghari on Tuesday again declared all notifications issued by former executive director (ED) Qamar Zaman null and void.

According to rules though such a directive can only be issued by the acting executive director.

Besides, management of the HEC filed an application with Industrial Area police seeking registration of FIR against five officers of HEC — Ghulam Mujtaba Kiyani, Dr Mazhar Saeed, Ghulam Nabi, Zaheer Awan and Nasir Shah — on charges of damaging the property of the commission.

Industrial Area SHO Ashraf Kahut while talking to Dawn confirmed that application has been received. However, he said that decision regarding FIR would be taken after discussing with higher authorities.

The Supreme Court on Monday suspended the appointment of Qamar Zaman as ED and directed the HEC to convene the commission’s meeting and appoint acting ED as a stop-gap arrangement.

But the HEC chairman ignored this fact while cancelling the orders issued by Qamar Zaman. As per past practice, in the absence of full time executive director, member operations used to officiate as ED.

He issued a notification stating that in pursuance of the orders of Chief Justice of Pakistan, all office orders/notifications, etc., issued by Major (retired) Qamar Zaman, have become null and void. An officer of the HEC requesting not to be identified said that the chairman was a nominal head of the organisation and he did not have the right to exercise powers of ED.

“During the whole episode, the HEC kept claiming that prime minister has no right to appoint acting ED but on Tuesday the chairman himself exercised the powers of ED,” he said.

“The chairman should have summoned the commission’s meeting and appointed an acting ED as per orders of Supreme Court,” he said.

The HEC media coordinator Murtaza Noor told Dawn that since the Supreme Court had suspended the appointment of Qamar Zaman, his orders had been cancelled.

“The commission meeting will be convened within a week which will not only appoint acting ED but start the process of appointment of new ED,” he said.

Legal expert Riasat Ali Azad while talking to Dawn said if ED enjoyed all the administrative powers, chairman could not exercise the ED’s powers. “The HEC management should follow the past practice and give acting charge to member operations,” Mr Ali said.