CM Sindh to review three shortlisted candidates for Lyari University vice-chancellor role

Dr. Hassan Mehdi, Dr. Tariq Rahim, and Syed Mansoor Ali Shah under consideration

The search committee has submitted three candidates for the position of Vice Chancellor at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Lyari, to the Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah.

This decision comes after thorough scrutiny of the candidates' documents and a series of interviews conducted over two days last week.

The three candidates under consideration include Dr. Syed Hassan Mehdi, Vice Chancellor of Sohail Medical University, Dr. Tariq Rahim Soomro, Rector of CBM, and Syed Mansoor Ali Shah.

The summary of these names has been forwarded by the Department of Universities and Boards to the Sindh government.

Following this, the government will send the candidates’ names for clearance to investigative agencies. Once the clearance is obtained, the chief minister will either interview the candidates or hold a formal meeting with them to appoint one as the Vice Chancellor.

Currently, the university is facing a crisis, as the term of its previous Vice Chancellor, Dr. Akhtar Baloch, ends this month.

He has been on forced leave since February 16, 2022, due to a dispute.

In his absence, Dr. Amjad Saraj Memon, Vice Chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University, has been holding the interim charge for nearly two and a half years.

This prolonged absence of a permanent Vice Chancellor has severely impacted the university's academic environment, leaving it without any professors, deans, or permanent registrars.

The administrative duties are being handled on an ad-hoc basis.

The lack of leadership has hindered the university's ability to enroll students in several new departments this academic session due to space constraints for classes on campus.

Additionally, internal conflicts among non-teaching staff have further complicated the university's administrative issues. Despite these challenges, the Sindh government has struggled to implement effective solutions.