LAHORE: A five-member inquiry committee will investigate whether Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) former vice-chancellor Dr Uzma Qureshi’s appointment was a result of favouritism or if she was eligible for the position in the first place, local media has reported.
Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) has notified the five-member committee and has directed them to look into the representation filed against the appointment of Dr Qureshi, by another candidate for the position of the LCWU vice chancellor.
Formed on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the committee will look into the appointment of Dr Qureshi, who was removed from her position by the court in April. According to the notification, the committee is tasked “To inquire into the representation filed by Rukhsana Kausar against the appointment of Dr Qureshi, primarily pertaining to her eligibility regarding research publications.”
It further asked the committee to determine if her appointment was based on favouritism.
The notification read: “The committee, as approved by the apex court, may also have a meeting with the then search committee for appointment of the VC of LCWU, headed by Syed Babar Ali, and comprising of Professor Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Dr Nizamuddin and the then Secretary Higher Education.”
The notification said that the committee would submit its finding in 15 days, by June 15, as per the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
When contacted, a member of the committee confirmed he had received the notification. He said that until now, no date had been fixed for the committee to hold its first meeting.
Members of the committee include Akhuwat Foundation Executive Director Dr Amjad Saqib as convener and Government College University (GCU) Lahore Vice-Chancellor Dr Hassan Amir Shah, Lahore School of Economics Rector Dr Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, Punjab University College of Information Technology Principal Dr Syed Mansoor Sarwar and Lahore Garrison University (LGU) former vice-chancellor Dr Chaudhary Jamil Anwar as members. Additionally, HED Deputy Secretary (Universities) Muhammad Tayyab Zia has been directed to provide secretarial support to the committee.
Dr Qureshi’s eligibility was challenged by Dr Kausar after her appointment to the LCWU vice chancellor slot on May 29, 2017.
The members of the committee included Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Dr Umar Saif, Dr Nizamuddin and HED Secretary. All four members of the committee were also part of the search committee that vetted all the candidates for the vice chancellor’s position and forwarded Dr Qureshi’s name for appointment.
The committee was formed by outgoing Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was to submit its findings in 10 days as Dr Qureshi’s appointment was made on the condition of the outcome of the representation filed by Dr Kausar. However, the committee did not submit any report and Dr Qureshi remained at the helm of affairs at the LCWU until the top court removed her.