Court BaIn a significant development concerning the autonomy of higher education governance in Pakistan, the Civil Judge First Class (West), Islamabad, has suspended the termination orders of Dr. Zia ul Qayyum, former Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), until final adjudication of the matter.
According to official court documents the judge ruled that Dr. Zia’s removal was carried out without following the due legal procedure as stipulated under Section 21 of the HEC Ordinance, rendering the termination prima facie unlawful. The court emphasized that no individual can be removed from a tenured position without ensuring compliance with proper legal process, and until the matter is fully heard, the termination order issued on May 21, 2025, will remain suspended.
Despite the court’s clear directive allowing Dr. Zia ul Qayyum to resume his office, sources within HEC confirm that he was not allowed to rejoin, citing the absence of any senior official to handle the implementation of the court’s decision. Observers see this as a deliberate bureaucratic delay
aimed at obstructing the court’s orders and undermining institutional accountability.
Insiders from HEC and the Ministry of Federal Education revealed that deliberate administrative inertia was employed to bar Dr. Zia ul Qayyum from resuming charge, despite the stay order granted in his favor. Legal experts have expressed concern over the non-compliance with judicial directives, calling it a serious challenge to the rule of law and the principle of institutional autonomy.
Dr. Zia ul Qayyum, a tenured executive, was terminated in May 2025 after an internal inquiry allegedly declared his performance unsatisfactory. However, Dr. Zia contested this decision in the court of law, arguing that the termination violated the legal framework governing HEC appointments. The court, in its preliminary observation, found merit in his argument and halted the implementation of the termination order until a final decision is reached.
In a parallel move, the HEC — despite the pending litigation and court stay — issued fresh advertisements to fill the Executive Director position. This action has drawn widespread criticism from academia and legal communities, who argue that such steps may be seen as an intentional defiance of the court’s jurisdiction.
“The issuance of a new vacancy advertisement while the matter is sub judice reflects institutional impatience and possible internal political motives.
Adding another layer of complexity, HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, who reportedly opposed Dr. Zia’s reinstatement, is himself set to complete his tenure in July 2025. Anticipating a leadership transition, a search committee has already been constituted under the supervision of Federal Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to begin the process of appointing a new chairman.
Sources close to the matter say that the current chairman’s position against Dr. Zia’s reinstatement may be linked to internal power dynamics, as the incoming leadership could take a more neutral or lawful approach to the matter.
As of now, further developments are awaited, but the situation is being closely monitored by media, civil society, and education stakeholders, who demand transparent, lawful resolution to ensure that Pakistan’s higher education sector is governed justly and professionally.
