PHC says UoP VC can’t appoint Area Study Centre director

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday declared the University of Peshawar vice-chancellor advertisement for the post of director of the Areas Study Centre as void and directed the Higher Education Commission to complete the appointment process of the director within two months.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Roohul Amin declared the appointment of the director of Area Study Centre of University of Peshawar by the vice-chancellor as illegal. The court passed the direction in a writ petition filed by Professor Parvez Iqbal Tareen of the Area Study Centre through his lawyer, Muhammad Ijaz Sabi.

The lawyer submitted that the University of Peshawar vice-chancellor has no authority to issue advertisement for the appointment of director of the Area Study Centre. He submitted that the province was empowered to take over the control of the centre after 18th Constitutional Amendment, but in this regard the provincial government has to make legislation.

The lawyer submitted that the advertisement was against the University Grant Commission’s rules and the vice-chancellor has no power to make appointment of the director. The bench after hearing arguments from both the sides declared the university’s advertisement for the appointment as illegal and referred the appointment of director of the centre to Higher Education Commission with the direction to make the appointment within two months.