Islamabad - The Higher Education Commission (HEC) is facing a strange administrative crisis where it’s former Executive Director (ED), who resigned from the post, has refused to relinquish the charge and resumed his office in the absence of the chairman, The Nation learned on Tuesday.
Sources said that currently there are claimants of the position of ED HEC, while the chairman Dr. Tariq Banuri is out of the country.
Former ED Dr. Arshad Ali had tendered his resignation on October 21st after the commission directed him to resign amid plagiarism charges.
HEC in its official statement had stated that Dr. Arshad Ali, former Executive Director, Higher Education Commission tendered his resignation in view of the charges of plagiarism against him, although he denies the allegations.
The resignation has been accepted. The chairman Higher Education Commission stated that the Commission did not make any judgment in any high profile plagiarism case including the case of Dr. Ali. “Dr. Arshad Ali has resigned in an honourable way in order to avoid prolonging his case”, he said, adding that, “the Commission appreciated Dr. Arshad Ali’s sacrifice to protect the organisation from further controversy.”
The chairman Higher Education Commission after the resignation of the former ED had appointed Lt. Gen (retd) Muhammad Asghar as interim ED of the HEC.
However sources said that in the absence of the chairman, the former ED has again reached to the office and forced the interim ED to leave the office.
“This is worst and shameful situation in the HEC in last 24 hours,” said a senior official.
The official also said that the interim ED is now using the chairman’s office and former ED is sitting in his own office.
The official said that the former ED has claimed that he had been given the one month time for tendering the resignation.
“He read his resignation before the commission,” said the official.
The official also said that HEC itself created confusion as the written resignation was hidden from the public and all the official work was done verbally.
“Former ED daily comes to office at 9 am sharp and remains there till 3 pm,” said the official.
Official also said that the entire management is confused on this administrative crisis as they don’t know how to handle this situation in the absence of chairman.
Talking to The Nation former ED Dr. Arshad Ali said that he will neither confirm nor deny his position as he resigned or not.
Sources also informed that the Higher Education Commission management had to cancel its official meeting after the management was told ex-ED want to head the meeting.
“Senior officials are even not responding to him as they are not authorized but, Dr. Arshad Ali is insisting that he is still ED,” official said.
As per the audio recording of the commission meeting, available with The Nation, Dr. Arshad Ali could be clearly heard tendering his resignation.
Chairman HEC Dr. Tariq Banuri in his response to The Nation said “there’s only one (Acting) ED, namely Lt. Gen. M. Asghar. Dr. Arshad Ali has resigned and his resignation has been accepted”.
Spokesperson Higher Education Commission Aayesha Ikram talking to The Nation said that former ED Dr. Arshad Ali has resigned and his resignation has been accepted.
