ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Friday approved the three names for the posts of the vice chancellors and rector of three leading universities in the federal capital after taking advice from Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on the matter.
He appointed Professor Dr Muhammad Ali as Quaid-e-Azam University’s (QAU) Vice Chancellor (VC), Professor Dr Zia-ul-Qayyum as Allama Iqbal Open University’s (AIOU) VC and Professor Dr Masoom Yasinzai as the Rector of the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI).
The three newly hired university heads, Professor Ashraf, Professor Siddique and Professor Yasinzai retired on October 11, 2018. Professor Yasinzai was the only one who had applied for the post given to him.
Sources said that the two universities, QAU and IIUI, have gone through a difficult phase as they have faced severe administrative and financial crises in the last four years where students, faculty and staff have protested against malpractices, poor administration and low education standards. Therefore, it would be great challenge for the two newly-appointed heads to restore the fast deteriorating image of the once leading universities of the country.
They said that the situation in AIOU is considerably good as there is no such infighting or political wrangling; hence taking hold the reigns here might not be that challenging for the new head.
It is pertinent to mention here that the prime minister selected the three educationists from a list of nine names sent to him by a search committee headed by Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood on which the president had to sign.
The ministry had initiated the process of the selection of heads in March this year while the previous government was in power.
The shortlisted names for QAU included Professor Dr Muhammad Ali, Professor Dr Fazal Ahmed Khalid and Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan out of whom Professor Dr Muhammad Ali has been chosen for the post.
Similarly, the three names finalised for AIOU included Professor Dr Zia-ul-Qayyum, Professor Dr Muhammad Ali and Professor Dr Masoom Yasinzai, while those for IIU included Professor Dr Masoom Yasinzai, Professor Dr Abbas Chaudhry and Professor Dr Zabita Shinwari.
The newly appointed QAU VC is the current VC of Government College University (GCU), Faisalabad whereas, the newly appointed AIOU VC is the current VC of University of Gujrat. Professor Yasinzai, on the other hand, is the only who had recently retired from the post of IIUI rector.
A senior official in the Education Ministry said that the ministry would also take steps for the appointments of permanent heads in COMSATS University and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZAMBU), both of which have been running on adhoc basis since long.
He added that Minister Shafqat Mehmood is well-aware of the negative impacts of adhocism which is why he accelerated the whole process of appointing of university heads from the day he assumed office.
