Taking a stand: VCs pass resolution against political intervention

Urge chief minister to hold meeting to discuss their grievances.

PESHAWAR: Vice chancellors from public sector universities have passed a resolution to prevent politically motivated changes to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act 2012 and intervention in the affairs of institutes of higher education.

The resolution was passed during a moot held at the University of Peshawar’s guest house on Saturday to discuss the reforms. VCs of twelve universities attended the meeting.

VCs also urged Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to hold a meeting to discuss their grievances and understand how amendments to the legislation have affected universities. Moreover, the VCs insisted the CM had not entertained their previous requests to arrange a meeting in this regard.

Tabled in the provincial assembly in February, the K-P Universities (Amendment) Act 2015 proposes some drastic changes to the legislation framed under the previous Awami National Party-led provincial government in 2012. Since then, the VCs of various public universities have vociferously criticised the proposed amendments as they feel the changes are aimed at strengthening the government’s grip over institutes of higher education.

During the moot, the VCs reaffirmed their earlier stance, stating the changes are both one-sided and politically motivated. Furthermore, they said all stakeholders were not consulted when the amendments were proposed.

The VCs added they will only throw their weight behind reforms to the Act if all stakeholders are taken into confidence and the changes are for the greater good of universities in the province. The participants also drew attention to the practice of victimising VCs. According to the VCs, such practices will negatively impact the autonomy of universities.

A large number of participants criticised officials of the Higher Education Department for pitting VCs against the government and creating an atmosphere of distrust between the government and universities’ authorities.

VCs of Agricultural University Peshawar; University of Engineering & Technology, Peshawar; University of Peshawar; Gomal University, DI Khan; Kohat University of Science & Technology; Hazara University at Dhodial, Mansehra; Malakand University of Science & Technology at Chakadara; Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar; Bannu University of Science & Technology; Khyber Medical University, Peshawar; Islamia College University, Peshawar; and Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2015.