Case hearing: HEC ‘plays no role’ in appointing VCs

AGP tells court authority cannot issue guidelines in presence of varsity senates, syndicates

LAHORE: The advocate general of Punjab has told the Lahore High Court that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) plays no role in the appointment of vice-chancellors at public-sector universities.

The court was hearing a petition against appointment of vice-chancellors filed by Punjab University’s Zoology Department Professor Dr Asmatullah and others on Friday.

AGP Shakilur Rehman said the provincial higher education department was established after devolution of powers under the 18th Amendment of the Constitution.

He said the department had lawfully initiated the process of appointing the vice-chancellors at four public universities. He added the HEC could only furnish recommendations for education standards and financial affairs of the universities.

He said the HEC could not issue any guidelines on the appointment of VCs in the presence of universities’ senate and syndicate. He requested the court to dismiss the petitions against the appointment process.

The petitioners’ counsel, Advocate Saad Rasool, told the bench the powers to appoint VCs solely rested with the HEC. He asked the court to direct the government to appoint VCs in accordance with the law and merit.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Shahid Karim adjourned the hearing till October 13 and sought reply from both parties.

The court has already stayed the process for the appointment of VCs at Punjab University, Lahore College for Women University, University of Sargodha and Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology, Multan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2016.