ISLAMABAD: Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed on Monday formally took over the additional charge of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI). He was warmly welcomed by faculty members and staffers on arrival at the university. Dr Mukhtar, who will retire from post of the chairman HEC in July next year, was appointed as the acting Rector IIUI on the orders of the Supreme Court till the appointment of a regular incumbent. Recently, the apex court declared illegal the appointment of the acting president of IIUI Dr Mohammad Sarwar and also ordered removal of Rector Dr Samina Malik. Several contractual employees of IIUI were also sacked. On the direction of the education ministry last week, IIUI Vice President Prof Dr Ahmed Shuja Syed was appointed as the acting president. The post of the president IIUI fell vacant in July this year when the four-year term of Saudi national Dr Hathal Homoud Alotaibi was completed. The new appointment is to be made in accordance with the rules and regulations in the light of the decision made by board of trustees of the university in 2020. However, the new rules are yet to be approved by the university’s board of governors (BoG) and the main task of the Dr Mukhtar would be the approval of the pending rules for appointment of the new president. Recently, HEC through a report informed the Supreme Court that the university receives Rs2. 1 billion grant annually from the federal government in addition to Rs600 million from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, whereas the aggregate liability of the university was over Rs14 billion. Students’ fee is also one of the main revenue sources of the IIUI. Sources said lobbying had started for the posts of the president and rector. They said there were certain chances that once again a foreigner, most likely from Saudi Arabia, would be appointed as the president whereas a Pakistani educationist would be appointed as the rector. The IIUI has been facing administrative and governance issues for the last one decade or so. In recent years, many faculty members in violations of rules and regulations were appointed on important seats. The university also faced administrative crisis and students’ agitation on different issues. Settling the issues of faculty and students should also be main priority of Dr Mukhtar. The warm reception at the university today, including showering of flowers petals on Dr Mukhtar, showed that the faculty is happy over his temporary appointment,” said a faculty member.