Six more VCs appointed in Punjab

Lahore: The Higher Education Department of the Punjab government has appointed Vice Chancellors in six more universities in the province.

According to the notification, Professor Dr Saeed Ahmed has been appointed as Vice Chancellor of Thal University, Bhakkar, Professor Dr Ashfaq Ahmed as Vice Chancellor of Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Professor Dr Yasir Nawab as Vice Chancellor of the University of Kamalia, and Professor Dr Faheem Aftab has been appointed as Vice Chancellor of the University of Jhang.

The Higher Education Department has appointed Professor Dr Sajjad Mubeen as Vice Chancellor of the University of Okara and Professor Dr Muhammad Zubair Abu Bakar as Vice Chancellor of the University of Layyah.

It is pertinent to note that in May 2024, a report was submitted by the Higher Education Department regarding universities across the country in the case related to the appointments of permanent Vice Chancellors in government universities.

In the report, a three-member bench headed by the then Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa was told that out of a total of 154 government universities in Pakistan, 66 have been given additional charges for the Vice Chancellor or the posts are vacant.

The report said that in Balochistan, five out of 10 universities have acting VCs, 16 out of 32 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have an additional charge, six are vacant, 29 out of 49 universities in Punjab have acting VCs and five out of 29 universities in Sindh have an additional charge, while five out of 29 universities in the capital have vacant VC posts.

Later, in September, there were reports of differences between the Governor of Punjab and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on the issue of appointments of Vice Chancellors of universities by the Punjab government.

Punjab Governor Saleem Haider, while expressing his satisfaction with the summary sent by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for the appointment of Vice Chancellors and the selection of Vice Chancellors, said that no name could be suggested by the Chief Minister.

Reacting to the governor's statement, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said that the cabinet approved the selection committee for the appointment of vice-chancellors. The governor has been a federal minister, so he should know the importance of cabinet decisions.