ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: As many as 12 candidates were interviewed for the post of executive director (ED) Higher Education Commission (HEC) by a selection board on Saturday.

Out of these, the names of three candidates will be submitted to the 18-member governor body of the HEC for the final selection on Sunday.

Former ED Dr Sohail Naqvi was also short-listed for the interview but he did not appear before the interviewing board saying his family members and friends had suggested him to quit the commission, it has been learnt.

It may be mentioned that on December 20, 2012, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had directed the HEC to select a new executive director in a transparent way within 30 days.

The selection board meeting was chaired by Dr Javaid R. Leghari, the HEC chairperson. The board members included Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar, the federal secretary ministry of science and technology; Engr. Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, the acting ED; Razina Alam Khan, member of the governing body, and Engr. Ahmed Farooq Bazai, the vice chancellor of Balochistan University of Information Technology.

A participant of the meeting requesting not to be identified said most of the members were in favour of three candidates. He said the first was Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, a former member operation and planning at the HEC and currently working as deputy director general Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

The second candidate was Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari, former VC University of Malakand and currently working as head of the Department of Biotechnology at Quaid-i-Azam University.

The third was Dr Zafar, who has been working with National University of Science and Technology.

It is pertinent to mention that the HEC has changed the rules for appointment of the ED. Under the new rules, it will finalise the name of the ED and send it to the Prime Minister Secretariat for information.

Dr Leghari, the HEC chairman, in a statement thanked the board members for assisting him in making the selection process transparent as directed by the apex court.