ISLAMABAD: Former chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Tariq Banuri, on Wednesday, demanded of Prime Minister Imran Khan to withdraw the ordinance promulgated to remove him as it was his legal as well as human right to continue as commission chief and ensure the regulator independence.

Talking to media here on Wednesday, Banuri said that last week, the government acted against the rules.

Government is being run through rules.

One cannot be harassed until his/her tenure is over, said Banuri, adding that these are the rules that apply to every government agency.

The government made a strange law targeting one servant only.

He said that as per the new law, the government says that they will not allow anyone to work independently.

“Personal issues also come up but I cannot talk about them. This is human rights and legal rights issue. This is also an issue of the education department,” said the former chairman, adding that there was a lot of pressure to do things, so that some people could make money. If this decision is upheld, it will not be good for all educational institutions. “I ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to reconsider this issue,” he added. Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy said on this occasion that the HEC has gone a wrong way.

We missed the opportunity to improve our universities.

There are plenty of PhDs but they cannot even take the school exam in the United States, said Hoodbhoy, adding that there are many problems in the HEC.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021