Retired, rehired VCs stay put despite SC verdict

The future of half a dozen vice-chancellors of public sector universities hangs in the balance despite the Punjab government not passing a law with regards to defining the age-limit for the position. The Supreme Court adjudicated deadline too has been overstepped, Pakistan Today learnt on Wednesday.
According to sources, SC ordered the Punjab government for the legislation within three months with regards to fixing 65-year age limit for VC’s position. The government has failed to comply. And the VCs at Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), the UET, the Punjab University, the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), the University of Sargodha (UOS), the University of Gujrat (UOG) have stayed put in their positions.
After the disqualification of Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani over noncompliance of Supreme Court orders, educationists and university teachers wonder whether the CM Punjab too would be proceeded against for retaining the VCs against clear court orders.
It is percent to mention here that three months ago at the hearing regarding University of Health Sciences’ (UHS) former VC, Malik Hussain Mubashir, Supreme Court had ordered the attorney general for the legislation in connection with the VCs age limit. This Supreme Court decision came after it learnt that at various universities government officials were at the helm after retirement.
Most universities where VCs are retired officials are located in Punjab. Yet the Punjab government despite the SC order did not undertake any legislation. And now educationists at the varsities are up in arms. The educationists allege that these retired officials did become VCs on merit; the deciding factor was CM Punjab’s favouring them. It is pertinent to mention here that after the 18th amendment, the CM Punjab has become the competent authority to appoint VCs in public sector universities for the first time instead of the governor, who is also the chancellor.
After the 18th amendment there was a tussle between the Punjab governor and CM Punjab as both wanted the authority to appoint the VCs. The SC also cleared the ambiguity, declaring the CM as competent authority.
Following that verdict a number of influential educationists became active to curry favour with the CM and his office to either become VCs or to get extensions. And a number of universities where the VCs had completed his or her tenure got extensions, petitions against which have also been filed at the Lahore High Court (LHC).
When the SC sent the PM packing, at the universities a frenzied debate commenced about the status of such VCs. The educationists are wondering why the SC is not considering non-compliance here as contempt. At this time Lahore’s four main universities also fall in this category, including the PU, the LCWU, the UVAS and the UET. At the PU, Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran is into his second tenure after his retirement; at the UET a retired army general is VC for the last 17 years! With four extensions behind him, he may still garner another because he is said to be in the CM’s good books.
Illegal: Various teachers bodies are against the retired officials manning the VCs position, especially Academic Staff Associations (ASA) has condemned the Punjab government over the issue and demanded for the re-advertising of VC slots.
Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations’ (FAPUASA) former president Dr Mumtaz Salik has said, it is totally illegal that retired officials are present as VCs. Dr Salik demanded that it is totally against the law and the constitution and demanded that these illegal VCs should be removed as it is matter of countries future.
Muhammad Azher Sadique, a High Court attorney and legal expert said that SC had given a deadline to the Punjab government and it has expired. “Every VC above 65 is illegal”, said he.
According to an educationist who seeking anonymity said that varsities are the highest place of learning yet illegal VCs are holding offices. He questioned: how an illegal person can do positive work and urged the CM Punjab and SC should consider the sensitivity of the matter and should immediate action as process of research work and academic affairs are disturbed due to this issue.