A petition filed against devolution of Higher Education Commission (HEC) - the premier institution to regulate higher education the country and instrumental in promoting research-oriented and need-based education - in Supreme Court Saturday, was fixed for hearing on April 11. The petition, which was filed by Arshad Ali Chaudhry, prayed that devolution of HEC to provinces was unconstitutional and unlawful.
The petitioner requested the court to declare all actions taken for devolution of HEC contrary to constitution, declaring them null and void. The court was urged to allow HEC to function independently as per terms and conditions of HEC Ordinance and no institution has any right or authority to function in place of HEC. Besides, praying to the apex curt to undo action taken contrary to the ordinance.
On the application filed by former chairman HEC Professor Atta-ur-Rehman, seeking suo motu action to save higher education sector of Pakistan, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said that the petitions filed under Article 184(3) of constitution by Professor GA Miana and another versus federation may be clubbed with the above case.