The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has removed its Executive Director (ED), Dr Ziaul Qayyum, two years before the end of his term, citing poor performance.
The decision, announced Wednesday, followed a recommendation from the Performance Evaluation Committee. Dr Mazhar Saeed, Adviser (Planning & Development), has been given interim charge while the search for a permanent ED begins.
Sources suggest tensions between Dr Qayyum and HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar played a role, though the HEC denies any conflict.
In an email to commission members, Dr Qayyum criticized the decision as biased and procedurally flawed, alleging conflicts of interest and irregularities in procurement processes. He claimed key decisions were made without due process and raised concerns over transparency in major HEC projects, including the Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme.
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The HEC dismissed his claims, saying the evaluation was routine and mandated by policy. The Chairman’s performance, it added, is reviewed by the federal government.
Dr Qayyum was appointed in 2023 for a four-year term. The Chairman’s current tenure ends in July.