Peshawar   -   The Peshawar High Court has ruled against the reappointment process for vice chancellors (VCs) of universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, declaring the decision to restart the appointment process as illegal.

The ruling was delivered by a two-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice Ijaz Khan. The court approved the petitions challenging the decision to redo the appointment process, deeming it unlawful.

During the hearing, representatives from both the provincial government and the petitioners presented their arguments. The petitioners’ legal team, including Aamir Javed, Mubashir Manzoor Advocate, Tariq Afridi Advocate, and Saifullah Mohib Kakakhel Advocate, argued that the process for appointing VCs had already been completed, and the government was unjustly attempting to restart it.

They pointed out that a new advertisement had been issued and a fresh process initiated, despite the prior process being near completion.

The petitioners further argued that after the dissolution of the initial search committee, the provincial cabinet had suggested forming a new committee but did not mandate restarting the entire process. They emphasized that the previous caretaker government had completed the necessary procedures for VC appointments, with the final approval pending from the governor.

The government’s decision to re-advertise and start the process anew, despite the absence of the search committee, was also highlighted as problematic. The petitioners stressed that universities had been operating without VCs for over a year and a half, and restarting the process would cause further delays.

The advocate general contended that the caretaker government had not sought permission from the Election Commission for the appointment of members to the Academic Search Committee. Additionally, he mentioned that five members of the committee had resigned before the candidates’ interviews and shortlisting could take place.

After considering the arguments, the court ruled in favour of the petitioners, declaring the reappointment process illegal, thereby restoring the previous appointment process for the VCs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa universities.