Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday while hearing the petition to restore Tariq Banori as Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) Chairman and against govt’s recent HEC revision ordinance barred govt from appointing new chairman of HEC till June 8. The Court issued notices to Secretary Cabinet Division, Secretary Law, Secretary Education, HEC and its former Chairman Tariq Banori. Islamabad High Court’s Chief Justice, Justice Athar Minallah ordered that govt must not appoint new chairman of HEC till next hearing, that is, June 8. Tariq Banori’s lawyer while giving his arguments told the Court that only Tariq Banori was affected by the ordinance. How it possible is that govt issues any ordinance to target any single individual? Tariq Banori’s lawyer maintained that govt is sabotaging institutions’ sovereignty through these ordinances. HEC Chairman’s tenure has also been lessened through the ordinance. The language used in this ordinance clearly depicts that it was issued to achieve specific goals, Faisal Siddiqui, Tariq’s lawyer said. Faisal maintained that the ordinance was issued on March 26, while a new notification was issued on April 5. Chairman HEC can only be sacked under Sub-section 6, the lawyer said. Chief Justice Islamabad High Court asked when was the ordinance issued? The lawyer said that HEC ordinance was issued in 2002. Tariq Banori was sacked on March 26 while a new notification of his dismissal was issued on April 5.