Three candidates appear for interview

Shehbaz interviews the shortlisted candidates for the coveted slot

LAHORE: A quick round of interviews was held on Wednesday for the appointment of the coveted slot of Punjab University vice chancellor, where three shortlisted candidates were interviewed by Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The three shortlisted candidates included University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila Vice Chancellor Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Punjab University Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences Dean and formal provisional vice chancellor Dr Zakria Zakar and Punjab University College of Information Technology (PUCIT) Principal Dr Syed Mansoor Sarwar.



The Search Committee formed for the process interviewed more than 40 candidates on Tuesday shortlisted for the position by the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC). The three candidates were interviewed on Wednesday in between the busy schedule of the chief minister, after he returned from a visit to Bahawalpur and Rajanpur. According to the sources, the candidates were interviewed by the chief minister for half an hour. However, no decision could be made on who would take charge of the largest varsity of the province till the filing of this report.

The Punjab government is in a hurry to appoint the vice chancellor for the Punjab University as per the deadline set by the Supreme Court of Pakistan as well as the end of tenure of the provincial government.

Dr Zakar, who is also a candidate this time around, had to resign from his position as the court took up the case of handing over varsity land to the government. After which, the Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) was told to appoint a permanent head of the university in six weeks. The HED accelerated the appointment process for the vice chancellor at the Punjab University as Supreme Court of Pakistan Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had showed his displeasure over the delay in appointment at the largest varsity of the province.

The Search Committee for the Punjab University included Razzaq Dawood as convener and Dr Umar Saif, Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Fauzia Viqar as members, and HED Secretary as member and secretary of the committee.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2018.