K-P picks VCs for nine universities

Sends summary for their hiring to governor for approval.


Asad Zia April 24, 2017
A division bench headed by Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth heard the case. PHOTO: PPI

PESHAWAR: A summary for the appointment of vice chancellors for nine public sector universities has been sent to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governor for approval despite the fact that the Peshawar High Court (PHC) issued a stay order on it on April 21.

The summary was approved by the K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak after seven months of careful scrutiny and vetting.

On September, 29, 2016, K-P Higher Education and Archives and Library Department announced posts of vice chancellors for nine universities, including University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Shuhada-e-Army Public School University of Technology, Nowshera, University of Peshawar, University of Science and Technology, Bannu, University of Haripur, University of Swabi, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda and Khushal Khan Khattak University, Karak.

An official of the K-P Higher Education Department (HED), who requested not to be named, said for the appointment to the nine VCs seats, around 191 candidates had applied, out of which 57 were short-listed while 55 appeared for interview before the Academic Search Committee in March.

The K-P HED official told The Express Tribune that after approval of the K-P chief minister, nine names have been sent to the K-P governor, who is also the chancellor of all the universities, for final approval.

Above 50 senior candidates challenged the selection criteria of the K-P government for the VCs’ posts in the PHC. They also recorded their reservations during a press conference at the local press club last month and blamed the government for proposing names of its blue-eyed VCs instead of the most senior candidates.

However, on April 21, the PHC issued a stay order temporarily barring the K-P government from notifying the appointments of VCs for nine seats and demanded the authorities concerned to explain the entire selection process within 20 days.

Talking to The Express Tribune, K-P HED Additional Secretary Khalid Khan confirmed that the process for the appointment of VCs has entered its final stage.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2017.

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