Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended the tenure of incumbent Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed for one year.

A summary from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat was forwarded to the education ministry’s secretary on Tuesday.

The extension was due after the education ministry moved a summary. He completed his two-year tenure on Monday.

He was appointed as the HEC chairman on July 29, 2022. Dr Ahmed, a renowned educationist, had earlier held the post from 2014 to 2018.

Under the PTI government, the tenure of the HEC chairman was reduced from four years to two years through an ordinance. This change was apparently made to remove then Chairman HEC Dr Tariq Banuri, who was removed prematurely by the PTI government.

The Ministry of Federal Education was in favour of a two-year extension for Dr Mukhtar, as it moved a summary in this regard to the PM Office.