LAHORE – The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) seems unconcerned about replacing retiring vice chancellors (VC) of six public-sector universities who would be leaving their posts by end of February, Pakistan Today has learnt. VCs of six main stream public-sector universities including the Bahauddin Zikriya University (BZU), Multan, Government College University (GCU), Lahore, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Multan, University of Sargodha, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) and the University of Education (UoE) would be without regular VCs at the end of February. According to HED sources, it takes around four months to complete the process of appointing VCs but the department has not even invited applications for replacing the incumbents showing its apathy towards the situation.
On the other hand, a race has started between varsity professors for grabbing the lucrative post and faculty members are using their contacts in the Punjab CM’s Secretariat and members of the search committee. Incumbents VCs are also lobbying for getting another extension in their tenures but according to sources, the provincial government has decided not to extend the tenures of the retiring VCs, as they have enjoyed the lucrative posts for several years now. There is rising resentment against the HED’s inability to invite applications until now and faculty members of various varsities are ready to launch movements against the incumbents if extensions are given to the present VCs. Pakistan Today has learnt at anti-VC resentment is on the rise in at least four of these six universities where VCs have clinched on to their posts since several years. Topping these institutions is the GCU where VC Dr Khalid Aftab has been running the affairs as principal from 1993 to 2002 and VC from 2002 and onwards. Despite having a very lengthy tenure in office, Aftab seems reluctant to leave his post even now.
GCU’s academic activities are suffering and status of the historic institution is at stake and the Ravian community is demanding the Punjab CM to take notice of the varsity’s affairs and invite applications before Aftab’s tenure ends. Academic crises would hit all these varsities if a regular VC was not appointed to handle the affairs within time. BZU VC Dr Zafarullah’s tenure would expire on January 26, University of Sargodha VC Dr Akram Chaudhry’s tenure would end on February 11, Aftab would throw in the towel on February 25, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi VC Dr Saeeda Asadullah Khan’s tenure would end on March 11 while LCWU VC Dr Bushra Mateen and UoE VC Dr Munawar Sultana Mirza already hung their boots last year. These two universities are considered to be the main female varsities of the country and are being run by additional VCs in absence of regular VCs. Some of these varsities are facing serious administrative issues without a regular VC and the situation would further worsen at the end of February.
