The Search Committee has finalized the advertisement for the appointment of a new chairperson to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan.
The final draft was approved during the fourth meeting of the Search Committee held on Wednesday, with Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training in the chair.
In a conversation with The News, Dr Siddiqui confirmed that the advertisement will be published in leading international newspapers. He said the age limit has been set at 65 years and the advertisement will be released within two to three days.
He stated that the selection process will strictly follow the HEC Act, which mandates the appointment of an eminent academician with a solid reputation and international eminence through a transparent, merit-based, and competitive process.
As per the approved criteria, applicants must have a minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in the higher education sector. Once published, the advertisement will allow a four-week window for the submission of applications.
The appointment process was initiated after the conclusion of Dr Mukhtar Ahmed’s extended one-year term as HEC chairperson on July 29, 2025. Dr Mukhtar had previously served two full terms and was granted an additional extension last year. Despite his efforts for another extension, he stepped down after a total of 18 years associated with the commission in various roles.
Following the end of Dr Mukhtar’s tenure, Nadeem Mahbub, secretary of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, assumed the acting charge of the HEC chairperson on Wednesday. Speaking at the HEC Auditorium, Mahbub pledged to perform his duties with integrity and professionalism. “Personalities come and go, but institutions continue to function,” he remarked.
The academic community has largely welcomed the government’s decision to appoint the new HEC chairperson through a competitive and merit-based process, considering it a positive move towards restoring transparency and credibility in the leadership of the country’s apex higher education body.
According to Clause 5 of the Higher Education Commission Act, “The Controlling Authority shall appoint a person of international eminence and proven ability who has made significant contribution to higher education as teacher, researcher or administrator, as Chairperson on such terms and conditions as it may determine.”
