VCs selection to start afresh
The Punjab government is likely to re-advertise the posts of vice chancellors (VC) of four public sector universities in the province as the selected candidates were allegedly involved in malpractices, The Express Tribune has learnt.
According to sources, secret agencies presented their reports against the four selected candidates that annoyed the Punjab chief minister and now the vacant posts will be re-advertised.
The sources said the posts of the VCs of the Government College University (GCU) Lahore, University of Gujrat, University of Narowal and Information Technology University (ITU) will be re-advertised due to suspicion of political activities and financial corruption by the top candidates.
The Punjab Higher Education Department is planning to re-advertise the VC's posts of four public sector universities that were among the 25 institutions for which the provincial government is processing the appointment of regular heads. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is interviewing the top candidates.
A search committee established to interviews around 400 candidates for the appointments had sent summaries comprising three names for each post to the CM Secretariat last week. The CM is authorised to appoint any of the three shortlisted candidates as VC.
The CM conducted interviews a couple of days ago of the top candidates for some universities and it had been assumed that the appointments would be made but the Punjab governor, who is the chancellor of the government universities, has not issued any notification yet.
The sources in the CM Secretariat said that in the case of the GCU Lahore, former VC Dr Asghar Zaidi was at top of the list but he had not been called to the secretariat. The cited as the reason the political activities of the Dr Zaidi who had planned former PTI chairman Imran Khan's meeting in the university where anti-government and establishment slogans were raised by the students. CM Maryam Nawaz and other PMLN leaders had criticised the VC and an inquiry against him had also been initiated.
The sources said a PU professor whose name was at the top of the list of candidates for the University of Narowal was suspected of being involved in bribery for the appointment of ad hoc VC and faced a corruption inquiry.
Citing intelligence reports, the sources said a candidate set to be selected was suspected of offering bribe to someone close to a former CM for appointment. A candidate proposed for the ITU was allegedly close to the PTI leadership. Inquiries about political affiliation had also been made in the past against the top candidates for the University of Gujrat .
The notification of appointment of VCs of the other public sector universities is set to be issued soon
The sources said the search committee had did its best for the selection but its members were not aware of the issues related to politics and corruption.
The sources said some candidates from the PU and University of Gujrat had been ignored because they were allegedly involved in appointments of professors on the basis of favouritism.
An official said the CM had ignored the names of all those involved in using political influence for the selection and the professors community would appreciate the selection. The professors from across the province appear to be most interested in appointment as VCs of the PU and GCU.
The sources said around 150 candidates ha wished to be appointed as VC of the GCU Lahore and 100 of the PU. However, the professors are also apprehensive of the decision to disregard the choice of the search committee.
"The members of the search committee had selected the best administrators but it appears that some high-ups in the Punjab government have sidelined its decisions. However, it is appreciable that the candidates involve in financial corruption have not been considered," said a GCU professor.
The president of the nationwide university teachers federation FAPUASA, Professor Dr Majad Magsi, said, "We appreciate the CM's decision to re-advertise University of Narowal post as the PU dean selected as VC along with current PU VC had worsened the conditions in the PU and now the employees were suffering regarding their salaries."
He said, "Our concern is just that the appointment of VCs should be notified at the earliest because the university teachers were facing the worst problems because of the lack of appointment of regular VCs.