Setback for govt as SHC suspends Hakim Ali Abro’s notification as SMBBMU’s acting VC

The Sindh government is facing a setback for sending four names instead of three for appointment as acting vice chancellor of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University Larkana by the Department of Boards and Universities, as on this basis the Sindh High Court has suspended a notification of appointment of Acting Vice Chancellor Hakim Ali Abro.

Larkana Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr Anila Atta’s four-year term completed last month, but the Department of Boards and Universities was angry with her. First, she was suspended on the basis of a false report about a female student who committed suicide, and then Professor Hakim Ali Abro, who came fourth in seniority, was appointed acting VC.

Meanwhile, the search committee declared Dr Anila Atta as the number one candidate for the post of vice chancellor of the Sukkur Women’s University, but this summary was stopped. Dr Anila Atta challenged her suspension in the Sindh High Court and was successful, which angered the authorities and that is why she was not given a second tenure.

While for the appointment of acting VC, Secretary Boards and Universities Mureed Rahman sent a summary to the chief minister, merit was not taken into consideration. In the summary, instead of three, four names were sent and the fourth name was that of Hakim Ali Abaro, while among the first three names, on the basis of seniority, Dakar Ali Akbar Bhand was on top, Dr Gulzar Ahmed in the second place and Dr Riaz Ahmed was third. However, the chief minister of Sindh approved the appointment of the fourth name, Hakim Ali Abaro and did not even ask why four names were sent instead of three.

Earlier the vice-chancellor of the Animal University Skrand, Dr Farooq Hasan, was also suspended on various charges, and Prof Dr Ahmed Sultan Jatoi was appointed acting chancellor. However, when the matter went to the court, the decision came in favour of Dr Farooq Hasan and he was reinstated. However, Dr Ahmed Sultan Jatoi had taken up residence in the University Guest House as soon as he became the acting vice chancellor, and despite being removed from the post, he did not leave the Guest House.