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Dr Atta-ur-Rehman resigns as HEC chief
Dr Atta resigns as HEC chief
Islamabad, Oct 10: The Chairman Higher Education Commission Prof. Dr Atta-ur-Rehman has
tendered his resignation to the President on Thursday.
It has been learnt
that the Javed Ahmad Laghari, Chairman Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Buhtto Institute of
Science and Technology (ZABIST) has been nominated as new chairman of the
Commission. Dr Atta was forced to resign. The pressure had been mounting
since the take over of the PPP-led government, sources said. |
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He had
been appointed as HEC chairman in 2002 and before this he served as Federal
Minister for IT and Science & Technology in Musharraf's cabinet.
During
his tenure over 400 development projects were started in the public sector
universities and the higher education budget had gone up from Rs 800 million in
2002 to Rs 18 billion in 2007.
The 23,000 online journals were made
available to university libraries all over the country and 40,000 e-books became
available online to the students. For the first time in the country, video
conferencing programme started which included live interactive lectures from
universities all over the world. Nearly 2200 students have been studying abroad
in the top class universities of the world under the Foreign Scholarship
Programme by the commission.
Razina Alam Khan, Chairperson Senate Standing
Committee on Education while condemning the decision said; "It's an unbearable
loss for the education sector of the country." She said that the committee was
shocked over the decision and would hold a press conference in this
connection.
"The HEC revamped the overall system of higher education in the
country under the leadership of Dr Atta. He started a number of programmes to
enhance both quality and quantity of our higher education institutions. His
period will be remembered as the golden period in higher education " she
said.
He had been conferred on different
awards in recognition of his eminent contributions in the field of Organic
Chemistry including Nishan-e-Imtiaz (2002), Hilal-e-Imtiaz (1998),
Sitara-e-Imtiaz (1991) and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (1983).
Besides this, he also achieved
Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of
Austria, Honorary Doctor of Education honoris causa (Coventry University,UK)
(2007), ISESCO Prize (2001), ECO Prize (2000), First Muslim scientist to receive
the UNESCO Science Prize (1999), Federation of Asian Chemical Societies Award,
Hiroshima, Japan (1997), First Prize at the 6th Kharazmi Festival in
Iran (1993), The Islamic Organization Prize by Government of Kuwait (1988) and
Honorary Doctorate of Science (Sc.D) from University of Cambridge (1987).
Atta's resignation blow to education
Karachi: The new threat has been emerged for the higher education sector of
country after suffering the immense financial crisis in the tenure of newly
elected democratic government, as the renowned scientist and educationist Prof
Dr Atta-ur-Rahman tendered resignation on Thursday from the position of Chairman
Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Dr Atta-ur-Rahman was the first chairman
of the commission, who has been conferred with several national and
international honours and medals, including Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz,
Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Sitar-e-Imtiaz, FRS etc.
Prof Dr Jawed Laghari, Director
Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) is the
likely to replace Dr Atta. Sources concerned informed that Dr Salman
Shiekh, former Director of SZABIST, is also a likely successor to that
position.
Dr Atta is also leading an internationally renowned research
institution, namely International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences
(ICCBS) of Karachi University. The ICCBS is regarded as one of the finest
academic research institute of chemical sciences in the developing world, with
two consultation centers, HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry and Dr Panjwani
Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research.
Prof Atta, Director ICCBS
has been made honorary life fellow at the King's College Cambridge. The latest
honour was conferred to Dr Atta on May 1 at the King's College, Cambridge,
Chapel. He is the first Pakistani scientist to be made fellow at the King's
College, Cambridge, for his achievements in the field of academic research. The
recognition to Prof Atta-ur-Rehman is, indeed a matter of great pride for the
nation. Some educationists are of the view that the present government wanted to
remove Dr Atta from the said position hence the federal finance ministry stopped
the development funds, following the orders of the PPP-lead government.
Conversely, nearly 59 public-sector universities are still suffering monetary
chomp due to the polices of the government.
The educationists have expressed
their serious concern over the resignation of Prof Atta, saying that the
government pressurised him to tender resignation by cutting and discontinuing
the higher education budget. Prof Dr S Mazhaer-ul-Haq, former Professor at the
University of Karachi and later as senior official at UNESCO, headquarters,
Paris, said that the creation of Higher Education Commission in 2002 was a
technocratic vision of the previous government at a time when the country was
passing through development of various sectors of its economies. He said, "The
government has forgotten the marvellous efforts of the HEC to boost up the
higher education sector in the country under the leadership of Dr
Atta.
Since its establishment, the HEC has launched a number of projects
including award of 2500 fellowships to young promising scientists for PhD level
studies in foreign universities, establishment of digital library providing
access to about 23,000 international journals and 35000 textbooks from 220
international publishers.
The HEC was introducing reforms in universities
like improving conditions of varsities, quality of research publications,
curbing evil practises such as plagiarism and similar other weaknesses noticed
at the institutional level. The Nation/App
Your Comments
"I am really feeling very bad that they cannot replace anyone who has capabilities like him. I am really worried about the future of education and espacially HEC and HEC scholars out side the country. They don;t really understand the concept of the projects initiated by HEC is like a revolution in the country. Dr. Atta! I request you that if you can come back plz come back."
Name: tahir
Email: tahhiir@yahoo.com
City, Country: Barcelona, Spain
"It is very sad news. Zardari has shown his real face by appointing his loyal person as HEC chief.All university students of have concern over this decesion."
Name: wajid tarar
Email: wajidtarar@hotmail.com
City, Country: Phalia,Pakistan
"The nation can not afford the loss of Dr. Atta as Chairman HEC.At present, there is no one equal to Dr. Atta who can work for the betterment of higher education in Pakistan."
Name: Mazhar Hussain
Email: mazharphd@yahoo.com
City, Country: Debrecen;Hungary
"I request Pakistani students to protest in their universities against this unfair act. It may not reverse the decision but it would at least acknowledge his contributions."
Name: asim
Email: asim_ahsan@hotmail.com
City, Country: Riyadh , KSA
"The decision taken by the ppp government is strongly condemned by the students like people from other walks of life. He is the right person to head the HEC. We are strongly demanding that Dr Atta should re-appointed as the HEC chairman till the fulfilment of his policies regarding Higher Education."
Name: Muhammad Ijaz
Email: Muhammad.Ajaz@cern.ch
City, Country: Islamabad, Pakistan
"noone can replace dr. atta. he is a man of vision. Governmental act will definitely be rewarded in a poorest status of education in pakistan. This decline of education will salute and recognize the efforts of dr. atta but on the cost of national degradation."
Name: nadeem
Email: nadeemiqbalawan@hotmail.com
City, Country: lahore, Pakistan
"He is the man who done everything that we set today. I myself is student of NU FAST and I know Dr.Attas contribution to Education of Pakistan. We are damaging ourselves by loosing a person like him. Plz plz.. Dont do this."
Name: Ravendar
Email: mr_kabeer@hotmail.com
City, Country: Karachi, Pakistan
"Dr Atta Rehman is sign of educatonal revolution ..we get worried about Hec Scholars .. and future of Pakistan Education."
Name: Shaikh Mohsin
Email: yaddein2210@yahoo.com
City, Country: South Kore
"i am very sad after Listen the very bad news that Dr Atta-ur-Rehman resigns as HEC chief & new chairman of HEC is very ******* person of the Pakistan.Here zardari ***** show his bad nature.I strongly condemned the decision taken by the ppp government about the changing chairman of HEC.I also request all student community from Pakistani universities take action rapidly start protest against PPP government.Here we conclude that after resign of Dr atta all type of grant to universities block.This is very bad sign for Pakistan.Last i sloute to Dr atta on his performance."
Name: muhammad imran bhatti
Email: ibhatti.sgd@gmail.com
City, Country: Sargodha,Pakistan
"It is the worst act of the ppp. Education sector will feel orphan in absences of Dr Atta."
Name: muhammad
Email: mrabnawaz_81@yahoo.com
City, Country: karachi,Pakistan
"I want Dr.Atta again as the chairman of HEC,because it will be a great unfortune for education sector to separate Dr.Atta."
Name: Mohammad Hussain
Email: hussain_icp@yahoo.com
City, Country: Peshawar,Pakistan
"Neptism, nepotism, nepotism. When will Pakistanis learn some pretty obvious lessons???"
Name: Qublai Khan
Email: moderntarzan@yahoo.com
City, Country: CA, USA
"Everyone condemned deposition of chief justice bt I cant see anything like that for Dr.Atta.Can I call this nation the most ignrant nation of the world."
Name: shaukat
Email: shaukatonline@hotmail.com
City, Country: karachi,pakistan
"Its a great loss for the country and for education sector ... even a layman and even an illiterate can the the boom that has been taken place in Higher Education of Pakistan. One of his major contribution to higher education is the availability of number of scholarships.... it was due to his efforts that a Pakistani student couldn.t say that he cant get higher education coz of not havning money... if u r intelligent .. if u deserve if you are on merit u cant get scholarship any where you want.... this is wot i c in his tenure.... a major losss to the country .... actually we dont deserve good ppl ..... v want DEMOCRACY!!! ... lol .. awami hukumat ... which has nothing to do wid awam!!"
Name: Maaz Ibrahim
Email: maazspecial@hotmail.com
City, Country: karachi,pakistan
"its really a bad news for pakistani young scholars. nobody can replace to prof. Dr.Atta who work hard for future to develop research environment in country.i am in china for Ph.D in polymer chemistry, not getting HEC scholarship,China scholarship council(CSC) funding me but Chinese scientist know Dr.Atta ur Rehman and HEC.its all due to that man. politics destroy our country. we can pray to ALLAH."
Name: Amin Abid
Email: mabiduet@yahoo.com
City, Country: Hangzhou,China
"Why cant we keep national issues higher than the personal conflicts! I can understand that present government hate the previous government but what was wrong if HEC was doing well? PPP could have got a good credit by NOT interfering in HEC but sadly they took that childish decision! May ALLAH protect all of us! "
Name: Ahmed Bilal
Email: ahmedbilal_99@hotmail.com
City, Country: Lahore, Pakistan
"With very regret that Dr. sb has resigned from HEC. HEC has lost its pillar of excellence. SALAM to DR. SB."
Name: Manzoor Ahmad Awan
Email: panacea2080@yahoo.com
City, Country: Islamabad, Pakistan
"Dr. Atta promoted plagiarism. If he remained as Chairman more the world would have laughed at our PhDs."
Name: Javid Bangash
Email: javidbangash@gmail.com
City, Country: Peshawar, Pakistan
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