Professor Dr. Zia-ul-Qayyum has taken charge as Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission following an Islamabad High Court decision in the case Zia-ul-Qayyum v. HEC and another. An HEC office order says the court ruling prompted the move, suspended earlier HEC directives, and made the appointment conditional on the final outcome of a civil review petition.
The HEC office order cites the Islamabad High Court decision in the named case as the basis for installing Dr. Zia-ul-Qayyum in the executive role. It states that prior orders issued by the commission have been stayed in light of the court’s ruling.
According to the office order, the appointment is subject to the final determination of Civil Review Petition No. 259/2025 currently pending before the high court. Until that petition is resolved, the commission’s action remains conditional.
Dr. Zia-ul-Qayyum has previously held senior positions in the higher education sector, bringing experience from earlier roles to his new post at the HEC. The commission’s announcement presents his assumption of charge as an interim measure tied to ongoing judicial proceedings.
