ISLAMABAD, Jan 18: Justice Mohammad Anwar Kasi of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday summoned the chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) after two directors general challenged the possible reappointment of Dr Sohail Naqvi as executive director of the commission.

The HEC chairman, Dr Javaid Leghari, was directed to appear before the court with all relevant record on January 21 (Monday). Mohammad Mazhar Saeed, the director general research, and Fida Hussain, the director general HEC, adopted before the court that the appointment process was likely to be finalised on Saturday and Sunday.

The petitioners, through their counsel Dr Sajid Qureshi, told the court that the procedure for the appointment of the executive director was laid down in the HEC ordinance 2002.

The counsel said Dr Sohail Naqvi had initially been appointed as member (HRD) in the management pay scale-1 on September 17, 2002, for a term of two years.

He was later made member HRD and planning. After that, Dr Naqvi was appointed as the executive director for a term of four years on September 17, 2004. At the end of the four-year term, he was granted extension for another four years in 2008 in violation of section 11 of the HEC ordinance, he maintained.

According to the counsel, the third extension to Dr Naqvi was granted on August 27, 2012, this time by amending a decision already taken by the commission to advertise the post.

Advocate Qureshi said the third extension was set aside by the prime minister after it was widely reported in the national press.

Then the additional charge of HEC executive director was given to Mr Qamar Zaman, the secretary education and training, which was suspended by the Supreme Court on December 21, 2012.

He said the Supreme Court had directed the HEC to fill the post of the executive director in a transparent manner in accordance with the rules and regulations. Soon after the apex court ruling, Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gillani was appointed as acting executive director.

The petition contended that the HEC was going to fill the post in a hurry in collusion with HEC Chairman Dr Javed Leghari and other members of the selection board.

The petition said the board had managed to get the terms and conditions of service changed quite contrary to the one mentioned in the advertisement.

According to the amended terms and conditions, the executive director will be given the status of a vice chancellor instead of an employee in the management pay scale.

It said the amended terms and conditions were never approved by a competent authority.

It also said Dr Naqvi had managed to get his name short-listed and on top of the list.

The petition requested the court to declare illegal the decision taken by the HEC for the appointment of the executive director.

The petitioners also submitted to the court a letter written by Akhlaq Ahmad Tarrar, the secretary HEC, to the chairman on January 17, 2013.

In the letter, the secretary stated that the proposed meeting to finalise the appointment of the executive director may be postponed for the next working day instead of convening it at the weekend to avoid any criticism.

He also pointed out that the meeting for such a high-profile appointment should not be conducted through video conferencing or Skype.

The commission should ensure mutual consultation of members of the selection board and candidates with their physical presence.

The HEC secretary suggested that the matter regarding the deadline given by the Supreme Court can be managed by requesting the court for an extension of another week to 10 days to complete the process in a transparent manner.