SHC stays removal of HEC chairman Dr Banuri

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A couple of days after the federal government made the announcement of the removal of Higher Education Commission chairperson Dr Tariq Banuri with immediate effect, the Sindh High Court on Monday suspended the notification of the removal in the matter.

Granting a stay order in the matter, a single-member bench of the Justice Nadeem Akhtar issued directives to the federal government and Attorney General for Pakistan, saying the slot of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairperson shall remain vacant till the next date of hearing.

On March 27, the federal government made the announcement of the removal of the HEC chairperson Dr Tariq Banuri, with immediate effect while cabinet secretariat notification stated, “In terms of sub-section (5), read with sub-section (5A), of Section 6 of Higher Education Commission Ordinance, 2002, as amended vide Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, Dr. Tariq Banuri has ceased to be the Chairperson, Higher Education Commission forthwith and is accordingly removed from the said post, with immediate effect”.

On Monday, invoking the SHC jurisdiction against his removal from the slot, Dr Tariq Banuri made secretaries of the Federal Cabinet, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and Higher Education Commission (HEC) as respondents.

Appearing on behalf of his client before the bench, Advocate Haider Waheed urged the court to declare the HEC (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 ultra vires the Constitution amid declaring removal of Dr.Banuri from the office as illegal and mala fide.