Engineers, technologists in same basket: IHC stays HEC notification PEC, HEC to work together for separate ‘Service Structures’ for engineers, technologists

Islamabad High Court (IHC) has stayed the notification of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) which decided to recognize technologists at par with engineers registered with the Pakistan Engineering Council.
A PEC communication said: Honorable Mr. Justice Babar Sattar of Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a stay order on the unlawful notification issued by Higher Education Commission (HEC), which describe that Engineering degrees issued by accredited engineering universities are at par with B-Tech/ Technology degrees issued by the institution for recruitment, pay, scale and grade.
The said notification, says the council created chaos and unrest among the engineering community of the country.
Pakistan Engineering Council immediately challenged through an official letter dated December 09, 2021, to HEC to rectify the decision.
Later PEC again sent a reminder to HEC for cancellation/ withdrawal of the same notification on December 17, 2021, however, no response was received.
This issue was discussed in the PEC Management Committee meeting held on December 28, 2021, wherein serious reservations were recorded towards the suitable way forward.
PEC delegation met the Executive Director, HEC on the same day and categorically explained PEC’s professional and legitimate stance.
The PEC team comprised of Engr Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, VC Punjab University, and Dr. Nasir Mahmood Khan (Registrar, PEC) updated on the decision that HEC will convene a meeting at the earliest to resolve the matter amicably in academic terms.
In the light of this meeting, PEC kept on waiting for but no action was taken from HEC annnd then PEC consulted a few law firms to take up the matter in Court.
Meanwhile, PEC wrote a final letter to HEC for reviewing the notification on December 31, 2021 and to share the meeting records for verification purposes, but all in vain.
Subsequently, on January 03, 2022, a Legal Counsel Barrister Raheel Ahmed was engaged/ tasked to prepare a PEC petition to file in Islamabad High Court (IHC).
On January 18, 2022, HEC informed that they cannot withdraw the notification at this stage.
Pakistan Engineering Council, as per direction and guidance of Engr. Muhammad Najeeb Haroon MNA and Chairman PEC, filed a petition on January 25, 2022, against unlawful HEC notification regarding the equal status of ‘Graduate Engineers and B. Tech/Technology Graduates for employment, trying to mislead the Employers to occupy engineering positions by non-engineers.
During these efforts, Chairman PEC Engr. Najeeb Haroon also met Chairman HEC Dr. Tariq Banuri who resumed his charge on January 19, 2022, to amicably resolve the issue professionally within the jurisdiction of the Act and Bye-laws of HEC/PEC.
The meeting concluded with the good agreement by both the heads of organizations to work jointly for separate Service Structure of Engineers and Technologists so that both streams of engineering profession could play their due role in their defined domain for the betterment of society.
The petition was submitted by Dr Nasir M. Khan, Registrar PEC, Engr. Mir Masood Rashid, Advisor to Chairman through Baristor Raheel with the approval of Chairman PEC.
Chairman PEC has taken this decision in consultation with the PEC Management Committee comprising Engr. Nayyar Saeed, SVC, Engr. Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhter, VC Punjab, Engr. Sheikh Mukhtar Ahmad, VC Sindh, Engr. Nasir Majid, VC Baluchistan and Engr. Ejaz Ansari, VC KPK. — PR