
On the other hand, a handout issued by the chief minister house in the evening said that the DUHS vice-chancellor along with the vice-chancellor of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) do not hold their offices anymore.
DUHS vice-chancellor Prof. Masood Hameed had already taken the matter to court. Prof. Hameed’s lawyer, Farogh Naseem, informed the judges that the varsity chancellor had appointed the petitioner as the vice-chancellor on December 19, 2011 for four years or till the pleasure of the chancellor. On September 16, the government promulgated the Sindh Universities Law Act 2013, in which Section 12(1) provided that a person having medical background shall be appointed as vice- chancellor by the chancellor on the recommendation of the government for four years, which may be extended for one more time on such terms and conditions as the chancellor may determine.

“Provision has also been added that the vice-chancellor, who has remained on the post for more than two times, shall on the commencement of this Act cease to hold office,” the lawyer said.
He argued that the amendment will have no retrospective effect as vested right was already created through a notification issued in this regard.
“The amendment has been made with mala fide contention just to oust the petitioner,” Barrister Nasim told the judges. He pleaded to the court to declare the amendment as illegal and unlawful since it violates the judgment passed by the court of law.
After the preliminary hearing, the bench issued a notice to the Sindh governor through his principal secretary, chief secretary and secretary education and literacy department for November 6. “Meanwhile, the petitioner shall not be removed from his office,” Justice Mazhar added.
Government’s verdict
The handout said that as per the law, the MUET vice-chancellor Dr Abdul Qadeer Rajput, and Prof. Hameed of DUHS have ceased to hold their offices. Dr Mohammad Aslam Uqaili of MUET and Prof Muhammad Umer Farooq of DUHS have been directed to look after the functions of vice-chancellor office of their respective varsities till further orders under the approval of competent authority. Similarly, the competent authority has accepted the resignation of Prof Akbar Haider Soomro, the vice-chancellor Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, submitted on personal reasons, it said. It was further announced that the principal of Chandka Medical College Larkana, Dr Assadullah Mahar, has been assigned to look after the functions of vice-chancellor office of SMBBMU till further orders.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2013.
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