CM defends decision to appoint bureaucrats as VCs

Shah warns 'certain VCs' for 'inciting protests'

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KARACHI:

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has voiced frustration over his inability to remove vice chancellors accused of sexual harassment, despite repeated efforts.

He also drew attention to another case involving a VC who misappropriated university funds to cover travel expenses for a visiting French team - expenses that had already been paid for by the team itself.

He was addressing the fourth Research and Technology Showcase 2025, organised by the Sindh Higher Education Commission at the Expo Centre on Thursday.

The event showcased 417 research projects from 41 universities across Sindh, highlighting the province's growing potential in technology and innovation.

Other speakers included HEC Chairman Prof Tariq Rafi and NED University VC Prof Sarosh Lodhi.

The chief minister stressed the importance of appointing qualified VCs through a search committee process. While holding a PhD and a strong research background are necessary, the current dire administrative conditions in public sector universities necessitate an amendment to the law to require candidates to have prior administrative experience, he said. "This proposed bill has already been tabled in the provincial assembly," he added.

Shah claimed that certain VCs and vested interests had incited protests in response to the proposed changes, but he made it clear that he would hold them accountable if the protests continued. He cited the example of three VCs who were appointed based on their PhDs and research credentials but were later nominated in sexual harassment cases. Although CM attempted to remove them from office, they secured stay orders from the court, allowing them to remain in their positions until their tenures ended.

The chief minister also cited the case of a VC who inappropriately withdrew funds from the university's account to cover travel expenses for a French team, despite the fact that the team had already financed their own travel. CM Shah expressed his dissatisfaction that, despite these controversies, the VC remains in office.

"These are the reasons we are pushing for a law amendment to introduce safeguards," he said. "Our students deserve VCs who are not only qualified but capable of running universities effectively and securing the nation's future." The new law would not bar PhDs and professors from becoming VCs but would require them to compete with other qualified candidates.

Moreover, the chief minister expressed disappointment with a letter he had received from the federal HEC, criticising their premature release of the letter to the media before it was officially sent out.

While speaking on the event theme, he stressed the importance of reducing Pakistan's reliance on foreign products by nurturing local innovations. "True prosperity comes from transforming ideas into tangible outcomes," he added. He stressed the need to address the economic impact of excessive imports and urged immediate investment in homegrown solutions to solve local problems and decrease dependency on foreign goods.