Sindh VCs line up for second terms as tenures near expiry

KARACHI:

The tenures of vice chancellors of eight public-sector universities in Sindh are set to expire one after another over the next few months, with almost all of them reportedly seeking extensions, putting the provincial government under pressure to decide who gets another term.

The developments are expected to pose a fresh challenge for Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who serves as the controlling authority of the province's public universities.

Among the VCs seeking another term is Professor Dr Nusrat Shah of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, whose four-year tenure is due to expire on January 1, 2027.

Sources said a summary seeking an extension for Dr Nusrat Shah had been sent to the chief minister for approval. Sources at the Chief Minister's House claimed that the summary was likely to be approved, citing her relationship with former Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who is her father. There were also reports that the summary had already been approved, although this could not be independently verified.

Reports about the possible extension have reportedly encouraged other vice chancellors whose tenures are also nearing completion to seek another term.

The chief minister has recently approved an extension only for Dr Amjad Siraj Memon, vice chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University. Meanwhile, extension summaries for Dr Khalid Iraqi and Dr Farooq Hassan have reportedly been rejected.