The “look-after charge” given to Dr Mujahid Kamran by the Higher Education Department (HED) to hold the office of vice-chancellor of the University of the Punjab has been challenged in the Lahore High Court.
According to a notification issued by the HED on January 21, Dr Kamran had been assigned the “look-after charge” till the appointment of a permanent vice-chancellor to the Punjab University, as the selection process is still in progress.
The recent appointment of Dr Kamran as the acting vice-chancellor has been challenged by Prof Dr Asmatullah, one of the aspirants for the post of VC.
It may be mentioned that Dr Kamran, who has enjoyed two tenures of four years each, is eyeing for a third consecutive term. His second term ended on January 22, but he was assigned the look-after charge a day ahead of his retirement.
In his petition filed with the high court on Saturday, Dr Asmatullah submitted that Dr Kamran could not hold the office of VC after his retirement and that the top slot of the university must be given to the senior-most professor.
The provincial HED had, on January 18, moved a summary to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat which clearly mentioned that the acting charge would be awarded to the senior-most professor, Dr Taqi Zahid Butt, but the CM’s Secretariat altered the name and notified that Dr Kamran would hold the office till the appointment of a permanent VC.
Nevertheless, this move has triggered strong resentment, as senior faculty members have decided to go on a hunger strike in front of the residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif against what they call an ‘unlawful’ act of Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“The government has tried to politicise the matter,” said an assistant professor who wished anonymity. He told Pakistan Today that “after the vice-chancellors of Government College University (GCU) Lahore and Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) retired in the recent months, the interim charge was given to the senior professor(s), but this precedent has not been followed in the case of Punjab University as Dr Mujahid Kamran has maneuvered a lot to be in the office of VC.”
When contacted a spokesperson for the Punjab University said the university had not yet received any notice from the court about the “look-after charge” of Dr Kamran. He however added that the varsity was ready to face the court once it received the notice.
Public universities are for poor students (as it is visible by the poor quality of their classrooms).Rich students prefer high class private universities like LUMS.
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