CM interviews candidates for slots of VCs

The appointment of Vice Chancellors in four universities has reached in final stage, according to sources in Higher Education Department.

Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself conducted interviews for the slot of Vice Chancellor in four public sector universities of the province on Saturday, Pakistan Today has learnt. The provincial Higher Education Department (HED) has issued an advertisement on November 4 last year to seek the applications by the potential candidates. The four universities where the appointment is to be made are University of the Punjab, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), University of Sargodha and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology.

The search committee short-listed 109 candidates and conducted their interviews in the first week of January. The search committee was headed by Syed Babar Ali of Lahore University of Management and Technology (LUMS) and its members were Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Secretary HED, Irfan Ali and chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission Dr Nizam-Uddin. The search committee has given its recommendation to the Higher Education Department after the completion of the interview process. The HED has sent three names each against every university to the CM secretariat for the final decision.

Three names sent for Punjab University were Dr Mujahid Kamran, Dr Zafar Iqbal Jadoon and Dr Zakria Zakir. The search committee recommended the names of Dr Uzma Qureshi, Dr Rukhsana Kausar and Dr Shahida Hussnain for LCWU. For the top slot at University of Sargodha, the names of Dr Tahir Kamran, Ijaz Ahmad and Izhar Hussain were sent to the CM.

A source privy to the development told this scribe that CM has personally interviewed the candidates and a final decision of appointment would be made in the days to come. According to the procedure, the CM forwards the final name of candidate to the Governor, who is the appointing authority in this regard. HED Secretary Irfan Ali, Chief Secretary Punjab Khizer Hayat Gondal and Chairman Punjab HEC Dr Nizam were also present on the occasion when CM conducted the interviews.