Dr Naqvi had served as the executive director of the HEC for almost eight years. PHOTO: COURTESEY LUMS
The Lahore University of Management Sciences announced on Wednesday the appointment of former Higher Education Commission executive director Dr Sohail Naqvi as its new vice chancellor here.
Earlier this month, Adil Najam had announced his decision to step down from the post.
A statement issued by the university read that Dr Naqvi would join the institute as its new VC on July 1.
LUMS Rector Abdul Razak Dawood welcomed Dr Naqvi on board.
“The institute looks forward to working with him,” he said, adding that the decision was taken after a careful selection process.
Rumours regarding Dr Naqvi’s appointment had been doing the rounds after Dr Najam’s sudden announcement to step down as VC, almost two years into service.
The university’s administration and Dr Naqvi had been quiet on the subject until the announcement made on Wednesday. While sources close to Dr Naqvi had confirmed his appointment earlier this week, he had not made an official announcement on the matter.
News of Dr Naqvi’s appointment was communicated to the LUMS community in an email and on the university’s website. Dr Najam, the incumbent, will relinquish his post at the university on June 30.
Dr Naqvi had served as the executive director of the HEC for almost eight years. His appointment came to an abrupt end last year and the former ministry of education and training secretary Major (retd) Qamar Zaman was appointed in his stead.
Dr Naqvi has a PhD in electrical engineering from Purdue University. He has taught at the University of New Mexico and Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Technology.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2013.
COMMENTS (12)
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It is sad to see too much politics is involved in Pakistan. Let the people work and do not pull their legs. Please change your attitude and work patiently and in harmony. If some body want to do some thing let him appreciate. So many talented people have left Pakistan due to bad politics and appointment of ineligible people on responsible posts.
Very surprised that adil Najam will leave like this all of sudden. Anyone know real inside story. is the one by LUMS walla above tru?
I hope someone can persuade him to remain in Pakistan
By the way, buzz around campus is that Dr. Adil Najam is going to be getting a diplomatic assignment with the Foreign Office. Lots of different stories on this. But I heard this from a senior faculty,
I don't know the new VC but am very sad to see someone of Dr. Adil Najam's calibre leave LUMS. I just hope that he will remain in Pakistan. Sad that such a great man was let go.
HEC's loss has become LUMS's gain. Congrats Dr. Naqvi.
@harry potter: I am not a LUMS grad but an institution like LUMS does not need any marketing, its quality speak for itself.
This guy is known for his genuine dedication towards work.... hope he takes LUMS to new heights!
Despite all the nice statements all is not well at LUMS. This was a coup against Adil Najm by the Deans and the mullah brigade at LUMS. Poor doctor Najam was just too nice and polite a man to understand the dirty politics around him. Najam has been a stickler for rules and to his credit put his foot down on wrong practices at the Science and Engineering School and Business School on things like hiring and promitions and budgets. But the backlash from the Deans was too much and led him to give up. It all really began with Pervez Hoodbhoy where VC Adil Najam was trying to keep him at LUMS but the Science Dean, Physics Chair joined with Syed Babar Ali to force Hoodbhoy out. But all the pressure and bad blood came on the VC personally and all for something that he had actually tried to stop from happening. From there on Adil Najam gas been a broken man and you could clearly see that in him. It was soon after that that he actually resigned but was asked by LUMS board to stay on until they could find someone else. For all of us here at LUMS it is very surprising how he has handled the whole thing so gracefully, but it is also obvious that this has been a very bad situation. The faculty is all split on this and supposedly so is the all-powerful Management Committee.
Dr.Sohail Naqvi.......An excellent choice after Dr.Adil Najam.Good luck to you DR.Naqvi !!
with all these lums grads at ET, its becoming an unofficial marketing agency for the university.
If you look at the profile of both, Dr. Adil Najam and Dr. Sohail Naqvi. One can easily tell who is more competent and more qualified for the post of LUMS VC.
looking at his background, it seems that School of Science and Engineering is going to get special attention and will improve further.