Anomalies unearthed in KP VCs’ appointment process

PESHAWAR: Serious illegalities and irregularities have been unearthed in the process for appointment of vice-chancellors for eight public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The summary for the appointments has recently been moved and the final decision is expected in a couple of weeks. This has raised questions about the claims made by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government that it was ensuring fair-play, transparency and meritocracy.

Some 24 names have been finalized for the positions of the eight vice-chancellors on the recommendation of the academic and search committee headed by known scientist and former federal minister Dr Ataur Rahman.

The search committee has directed the authorities to select the candidate placed on the top from the panel of three candidates recommended for each university. Sources said the government is required to give a valid reason to justify the decision in case it preferred any candidate other than the one on top.

Some reservations had already been expressed about several of the names shortlisted for appointment. Even before the panel interviews and recommendation of the 24 names, serious questions had been raised about the shortlisting for the interviews. A number of senior academicians approached The News and claimed that they had been ignored despite meeting the criteria while junior professors facing serious questions about their eligibility had been called for the interviews.

A letter was sent to the Chief Justice of Supreme Court and Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court requesting them to take suo moto notice of the process and stop it till all the legal requirements are fulfilled.

The high court had contacted the author of the letter and reportedly asked him to file a petition. The letter had challenged the formation of the academic and search committee. It claimed that two members of the committee did not meet the criteria to be inducted into the body. The letter argued that some senior and eligible candidates had been ignored in the initial shortlisting.