Baqar to meet VCs on Dec 29 to discuss varsities’ matters

Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has called a meeting of the vice chancellors of all the government universities of the province on December 29 to discuss their administrative and financial matters.

Due to this meeting, it is likely that the meeting of the Senate of the Karachi University that had been scheduled for the same date would be postponed. The Senate meeting of the varsity was called after six years.

The caretaker CM has called the meeting of the VCs when the election schedule has been announced and there is less than one-and-a-half months left before the polls.

During the four months of the caretaker regime so far, neither directors of finance could be appointed in 27 universities of Sindh nor the boards chairmen. Bureaucrats such as commissioners were given the additional charge of board chairmen.

The caretaker CM also did not take interest in the issue of the Lyari University vice chancellor (VC), who has been on forced leave for the last two years.

The Lyari University VC, Dr Akhtar Baloch, had to be given the opportunity of hearing by the chief minister but former chief minister Murad Ali Shah did not allow such a hearing to take place. In the meeting to be held on December 29, there would be a discussion on improving the quality of research in universities and getting them recognised by reputed national and international institutions. The meeting would also deliberate on how universities could be linked with industries and establishment of digital libraries in universities.