Recently, The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), through its Directorate of Legal Education (DLE), and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the standard and quality of legal education in the country.
The signing ceremony was graced by the presence of the Federal Minister for Law & Justice, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, and HEC Chairman, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed. Distinguished members of the PBC, including Syed Amjad Shah, Mr Hassan Raza Pasha, Mr Haroon Rashid, DLE Director Barrister Usama Malik, and HEC Director of Administration and Litigation, Mr Tariq Iqbal, were also in attendance.
The MoU was formally signed by Prof. Dr. Anwar Gilani, Consultant for Quality Assurance at HEC, and Barrister Usama Malik. This agreement seeks to foster collaboration in overhauling the curriculum and enhancing the quality of LLB graduates in Pakistan, in addition to advancing the training of Law faculty members nationwide.
Under the terms of the MoU, both HEC and PBC have committed to rigorously enforcing quality assurance standards in legal education institutions.
In his remarks, the Law Minister lauded the MoU signing, expressing confidence that it will play a pivotal role in elevating the quality of legal education across the country.
Notification of Dr Mukhtar Ahmed’s reappointment as HEC chairman issued
The Establishment Division issued an official notification on Wednesday announcing the reappointment of Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed as Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), following approval from the Prime Minister.
As per the notification, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed will serve a one-year term as Chairman, commencing on July 30, 2024.
Before this decision, prominent educationists Dr. Samreen Hussain and Dr. Sarosh Lodhi were considered for the position of acting chairman of HEC. Dr. Sarosh Lodhi currently holds the position of Vice-Chancellor at NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, while Dr. Samreen Hussain serves as Vice-Chancellor of Dawood University of Engineering and Technology.
Profile of Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed:
Dr Mukhtar Ahmed has an extensive history with HEC, having previously served as Chairman from August 1, 2022, to 2024, and from 2014 to 2018. He also held the role of Executive Director of HEC from 2013 to 2014 and was Member (Operations and Planning) from 2005 to 2011.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed has been instrumental in driving reforms in higher education over the past two decades. His key contributions include expanding access to university education, enhancing quality assurance systems, securing increased funding for higher education from federal and provincial governments, developing university infrastructure, and fostering national and international collaborations among faculty, researchers, and universities. He has also taken significant steps to curtail illegal practices within the higher education sector.
In addition to his roles at HEC, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed has served as Deputy Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) in Rabat, Morocco. There, he oversaw the Directorates of Education, Science, Culture, and Communication, ICPSR, CPID (Planning and Strategic Division), and ISESCO Regional Centres.
Dr Mukhtar Ahmed holds a Bachelor’s and Master of Science from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, and a Master’s in Business Administration and PhD from the University of California, Riverside, USA. With over three decades of experience in educational development and management at national and international levels, his expertise spans teaching, research, administration, policy development, linking educational research to industry/commercialization, and implementing entrepreneurial approaches to education
