HEC role in VCs appointment eliminated, AGP tells court

LAHORE

The Advocate General Punjab (AGP) told the Lahore High Court on Friday that role of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) in appointment of vice-chancellor at a public sector university had been eliminated as the same rests with Higher Education Department after the introduction of 18th Constitutional amendment.

AGP Shakilur Rehman Khan stated that Punjab Higher Education Department was established after devolution of powers under 18th Constitutional amendment and it had lawfully initiated process for the appointment of vice-chancellors at four public sector universities.

The AGP said the HEC could not issue any guideline on appointment of VCs in the presence of universities’ senate and syndicate. The HEC could only furnish recommendations for education standard and financial affairs of the universities. However, he said, he requested the court to dismiss the petitions against the appointment process.

Dr Asmatullah of Zoology Department at Punjab University and others had challenged the process. Advocate Saad Rasool argued on behalf of the petitioners saying powers to appoint VCs solely rested with HEC. He asked the court to direct the government to appoint the VCs in accordance with the law and observe merit.

Justice Shahid Karim adjourned hearing until October 13 and sought further arguments from the parties.

The court had already stayed the process for the appointment of VCs at Punjab University, Lahore College for Women University, University of Sargodha and Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology, Multan.

FBR: The Lahore High Court on Friday barred Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) from collecting workers welfare fund from industrial units in Punjab. Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza issued this order on a petition moved by a rice mill. As hearing started, Advocate Mohsin Virk stated that the high court had set aside amended sections of workers welfare fund ordinance four years ago. However, he said, the FBR continued to recover the fund under the cancelled provisions of the ordinance taking advantage of a decision passed by the Sindh High Court.

The counsel argued that the SHC decision could not be enforced in Punjab province. He requested the court to restrain the FBR from recovering the fund from industries in Punjab and set aside notices issued by the board to this effect. After hearing arguments, the court stopped the recovery of the fund and sought detailed reply form the FBR within two weeks.

custody case: A guardian court Friday dismissed a child’s custody case after divorced couple, singer Humaira Arshad and model Ahmad Butt, appeared before the court and submitted their reconcilliation agreement over child’s custody dispute. The lawyers of the divorced couple said Humaira Arshad and Ahmad Butt had reached agreement and they did not want to continue litigation. On Friday, Humaira and Butt appeared before the court and submitted their settlement agreement. According to the agreement, child will spend first five days of the week with his mother while for remaining two days he will be with his father.