Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar as the new Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, as reported by ProPakistani on February 6, 2026. The official notification, issued by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, confirms that Dr. Akhtar will serve a two-year term, effective immediately. This decision was made under the authority granted by Section 3 of the Higher Education Commission Ordinance, 2002, and further supported by amendments in the HEC (Amendment) Act, 2021. The document, signed by Razia Ramzan Dossa, Deputy Secretary (HEC), was circulated to key governmental offices, including the President’s Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office.