LAHORE - Confusion prevails even after the LHC order on the appointment of vice chancellors in four public sector universities as the Punjab government did not notify the new VCs as directed by the court.
The four universities are facing doldrums as to whom they report for day-to-day affairs.
Some of the vice chancellors whom the LHC replaced are of the view that since the Higher Education Department (HED) did not notify the new VCs formally, they would continue to deal with the day-to-day affairs of the varsity.
The Higher Education department (HED) has contacted all the court appointed VCs and sought their willingness. Sources in the HED confirmed that all the VCs expressed their willingness to join the varsities. While Punjab University VC on Dr Mujahid Kamran neither attended his office nor signed any of the files on the ground that as the LHC has removed him among three other VCs, he could not continue official work.
PU PRO confirmed that Dr Mujahid was not present at office on Tuesday. However, Academic Staff Association office bearers reportedly said that the faculty was also facing confusion. ASA secretary Dr Mehboob Hussain said “If the newly appointed VCs don’t join the varsity whom they would report in for day to day affairs”.
The LHC has clarified the LCWU VC Dr Uzma Quraishi be changed and replaced by the Punjab University Psychology Department head Dr Rukhsana Kausar as the VC. Dr Kausar’s name was finalised among penal of three by the Punjab government established search committee for the post of LCWU VC.
Dr Kausar said that she would wait for the formal Punjab government order and then join the university as per the court direction.
Dr Moeen Nasr the Punjab University new VC, has reached Pakistan on winter vacations said that he would surely join the university.
“The HED officer contacted me on Wednesday and I conveyed my willing,” said Dr Nasr. He negated all the rumors that he would not join the PU. “I have a full plan to overhaul the university environment and make the varsity one of the top ranking learning institutions of the world,” the nominated VC said.
He said that he was waiting for the formal orders of the Punjab government to join the university. While talking to The Nation he said that he had strategic plans to raise the standards of the varsity to compete the international standards.
Dr Ishtiaq who is new VC for University of Sargodha could not be contacted. However, one of his close friend told that he is in Japan and expected to arrive in Pakistan on Friday.
When contacted an HED officer on anonymity said that the government would issue the notification when it received the certified copy of the court order. He said that though the court judgment was an executive order, the HED would also notify it formally.
Responding a query made by this paper, the officer held, after the HED received court order, a summary could be moved to the chief minister and after his nod the case would be moved to the chancellor office for his approval as he was the ultimate authority in the VCs case. After the governor’s approval the Punjab HED will formally notify the new VCs. If any of the stakeholders challenged the LHC judgment in the apex court then the government would wait for the final outcome of the Supreme Court direction as confusions were yet to be resolved. “The Punjab government could challenge the LHC order in the Supreme Court,” the officer added as its role in the appointment of the VCs was curtailed by the high court, the officer asserted.
However, in this regard, final direction will be sought from the specially constituted committee under Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and the Punjab CM, he held.