Peshawar – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has marked a significant milestone as renowned academician and public health expert Prof. Dr. Zia Ul Haq, Vice Chancellor of Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar, has been appointed the Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Islamabad.His appointment is widely regarded as a recognition of his visionary leadership, exceptional academic credentials, and remarkable contributions to public health research in Pakistan.
Prof. Dr. Zia Ul Haq has become the youngest Pakistani educationist to hold this prestigious national office and the first scholar from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to assume the role, bringing immense pride to the province and the country’s academic community.
Belonging to the remote Upper Dir district, Dr. Zia Ul Haq completed his MBBS from Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, before earning a PhD in Public Health from the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.He also served as Convener of the Higher Education Task Force formed by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
During his four year tenure as Vice Chancellor, KMU witnessed unprecedented progress in governance, financial reforms, academic excellence, and research development.A distinguished researcher with 105 publications to his credit, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul Haq has secured over PKR 5 billion in competitive grants from leading international research bodies.Earlier this year, he was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan for his contributions to academia and research.
Under his leadership, KMU became the first paperless university in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, introducing modern e-filing and e-examination systems.The university’s Public Health Reference Laboratory Pakistan’s first conducted nearly two million COVID-19 tests during the pandemic, playing a pivotal national role in disease surveillance and response.
Over the past four years, KMU expanded rapidly, establishing 10 new remote campuses across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad.Several key institutes including the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences, and Institute of Pathology & Diagnostic Medicine were also launched under his guidance.
In addition, KMU completed the province’s first specialized university teaching hospital, enhancing healthcare access and medical training.Most recently, KMU successfully conducted the MD CAT 2025 for over 40,000 candidates, delivering transparent results within a record 12 hours, earning praise from PMDC and other national authorities.
The academic community, faculty, students, and higher education stakeholders across Pakistan have warmly welcomed his appointment as Executive Director HEC. Many expressed confidence that Prof. Dr. Zia Ul Haq will bring dynamic leadership to the national education sector, tackle its financial and administrative challenges, and promote innovation, quality research, and academic excellence nationwide.