Higher education: Summary for appointment of four VCs sent to CM

LAHORE:

The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) has forwarded a summary to the chief minister carrying three names each for appointment of vice chancellors at four public universities.

The Vice Chancellor’s Search Committee has finalised 12 names for their appointment at the Punjab University (PU), the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), the University of Sargodha (UoS) and the Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology (MNS-UET), Multan, an HED official said on condition of anonymity.

The committee has recommended Mujahid Kamran, Zaffar Iqbal Jadoon and Zakria Zakar for the top PU slot. Kamran has been re-appointed PU VC for the interim period after his tenure ended on January 22. Zakar is the dean of PU Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences. Jadoon is a former director of the PU Institute of Administrative Sciences.

For the LCWU, the committee has recommended acting VC Uzma Qureshi, PU Psychology Department chairperson Rukhsana Kausar and Women’s University Multan VC Shahida Hasnain.

Tahir Kamran, Ijaz Ahmed and Izhar Hussain have been recommended for the UoS’ VC office. For the MNS-UET, the three hopefuls are Zubair Ahmed, Shahid Munir and Aamer Ijaz. Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered the government against making an appointment until it decided a petition in this regard. The next hearing is scheduled for February 2. The official said the summary had been prepared on the recommendation of Vice Chancellor’s Search Committee, headed by academician Syed Babar Ali. Its other members are Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairman Dr Nizamuddin, HED Secretary Irfan Ali and Zafar Iqbal Qureshi.

Asked about the expected date of the appointments, the official said the decision now rested with the Chief Minister’s Office.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2016.