GCU VC to be shown the door after SC’s verdict?

The Punjab government might change the Government College University, (GCU) Lahore’s vice-chancellor (VC), after the Supreme Court said that the governor was bound to follow the chief minister’s (CM) advice on VCs’ appointments, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The Punjab CM had earlier recommended Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Lahore Chairman Dr Akram Kashmiri as the GCU VC,but the governor rejected his recommendation and appointed Dr Khaliqur Rehman as GCU VC, instead.
The governor had similarly rejected the CM’s recommendation of Dr Chaudhry Akram as University of Sargodah VC. However, after the SC decision, the Punjab government would have to heed the CM’s recommendation, as educationists demand the SC decision be implemented at both, GCU and UOS.
A cold war between the CM and the governor broke out over the appointment of VCs’ at six public-sector universities of the province, as both claimed they were authorised to make these appointments. The SC cleared matters last week on the occasion of a hearing in connection with the BZU VC. Following the SC decision, the Punjab Higher Education Department appointed a VC along the SC’s guidelines. The SC said following the 18th Constitutional Amendment, education was devolved to the provinces, hence the CM’s, jurisdiction, and the governor ought to follow his advice. Educationists appreciated the SC decision and demanded the legal rule be applied at GCU and UOS, where the CM’s recommendations had been rejected by the governor. Thus, Dr Khaliq was appointed GCU VC instead of Dr Kashmiri, while no VC has yet been appointed at UOS.
The governor rejected the CM’s recommendation to appoint Dr Akram Chaudhry as UOS VC for a second term: quoting a report of the Bahawalpur Islamia University deputy registrar and a letter from the Punjab Special Branch General of Police additional inspector, he pointed out flaws in Akram’s character. An inquiry, however, proved that Akram was innocent and the allegations leveled against him were false.
The governor, however, said the CM-recommended Kashmiri had disappointed the Punjab government and destroyed the entire Lahore BISE set-up, due to which the nation was suffering. He said following the SC decision and awarding the GCU vice chairmanship to Kashmiri would be an error, as the administration of the institution was beyond his skills. He said the government was satisfied with the steps Khaliq had taken since taking up charge: he took revolutionary steps to expel a corrupt official from the registrar’s office, reduced the college and hostel dues, making the entire Ravian community happy.
According to another official of the Punjab HED, the Punjab government might take steps to appoint the CM’s recommendation as UOS VC. GCU VC Khaliq denied not being appointed on the CM’s recommendation. He said the summary of his appointment was reconsidered and he had been appointed upon the CM’s recommendation. He added that the same pattern was observed in the appointment of the VCs of University of Education and Bahaudin Zikriya University, Multan where the summaries were reconsidered by the CM upon the governor’s request. Akram said he had not yet received any notification in this regard.