The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued orders to reinstate Dr Tariq Banuri as the chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), according to Geo News.
Through a short order issued by the bench, comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Umar Farooq, the court held that the notifications of March 26, 2021 and April 5, 2021 were issued without lawful authority and contrary to the amended provisions of the HEC Ordinance, 2002.
“Respondent No 6 Dr Tariq Javed Banuri, therefore, stands restored as the chairman of the Higher Education Commission,” the order said.
In March last year, Banuri was removed from his office unceremoniously by the PTI government when his tenure was shortened from four to three years through an amendment to the HEC ordinance.
Later, he had approached the IHC against his premature removal and the court had barred the government from appointing a new chairman till the decision of the case.
Banuri was appointed in May 2018 by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for a four-year term and his tenure was due to end in May, 2022.
