Lyari varsity VC’s tenure ends after longest forced leave

The vice chancellor of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari, Dr Akhtar Baloch, has completed his four-year tenure by completing the longest forced leave of 2 years and 8 months. Thus, Dr Akhtar Baloch has become the first vice chancellor in the history of Pakistan to suffer the longest forced leave. He was sent on forced leave for 45 days on February 14, 2022, on a complaint of Member of Provincial Assembly Shazia Karim.

Dr Akhtar Baloch was accused of sending an immoral video to the complainant Shazia Karim from his mobile phone. While Akhtar Baloch was not held responsible in the FIA report, in the summary sent by the secretary Boards and Universities to the Sindh chief minister, it was said that the chief minister, being the competent authority, should issue a show-cause notice to remove Dr Akhtar Baloch from his post.

It was further stated in the summary that on 15-07-2022, a forensic report was received from the office of the FIA, Karachi, which said there was a delay of about five months in finding the related data. It said no evidence of the alleged sexual harassment was found during the mobile phone’s forensic examination.

Later, on 23 August 2022, the CM gave approval to giving a show-cause notice to the VC but he was never given a show- cause notice and he remained on forced leave till the expiry of the period without any notification and completed his term of four years.

The charge of his post was given to Dr Amjad Siraj Memon, vice chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University.

Sources in the Sindh Higher Education Commission told The News that among the three names that have been selected for the post of vice chancellor of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University are Sohail Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr Syed Hasan Mehdi, CBM Rector Dr Tariq Rahim Soomro and Syed Mansoor Ali Shah. The summary of these three names has been sent to the provincial home department to get clearance from two intelligence agencies.