The appointment of a junior professor as Pro Vice Chancellor (Pro VC) of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, has triggered strong opposition from senior faculty members.
The Deans Committee of LUMHS convened a meeting on Tuesday to express discontent over the Sindh government's decision to appoint Dr Arshad Hussain Abro as the new Pro VC. "The committee emphasised that seniority must be respected in the decision-making process, as the government has recently appointed a junior candidate to the position," read a statement issued following the meeting. Committee members also expressed disappointment with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah over the appointment.
The notification of Dr Abro's appointment, effective from April 18, was issued earlier this week by Secretary of Universities and Boards, Muhammad Abbas Baloch. He is set to replace the current Pro VC, Prof Dr Seema Naz, who will retire on April 17.
The deans urged the Sindh government to reconsider the appointment to ease growing dissatisfaction among faculty.
Separately, the Sindh High Court (SHC) Hyderabad Circuit Bench on Tuesday stayed Dr Abro's appointment and issued notices to the provincial government, Secretary Baloch, Secretary of Health, and the Registrar of LUMHS. The stay was granted in response to a petition filed by the incumbent Pro VC.
Her legal counsel informed the court that Dr Seema was appointed as Pro VC for a four-year term on August 30, 2024, and her tenure is set to conclude in August 2028. The petition also argued that several senior professors were overlooked in favour of a junior appointee.
The petitioner further noted that the LUMHS syndicate had previously barred Dr Abro from holding administrative positions. In light of this, the SHC suspended the provincial government's summary dated March 26 regarding Dr Abro's appointment, and directed the respondents to submit their replies by April 22.
Those present at the meeting included Dean of Basic Sciences Prof Dr Munawar Alam Ansari, Dean of Medicine and Allied Sciences Prof Dr Moeen Ansari, Dean of Surgery and Allied Sciences Prof Dr Ashok Kumar Narsani, Dean of Dentistry Prof Dr Feroz Kalhoro, and Dean of Community Medicine and Public Health Prof Dr Muhammad Ilyas Siddiqui, among others. Prof Dr Seema Naz also joined the meeting later.
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