PESHAWAR: Opposing the further amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities (Amendment) Act, 2015, Karwan, a civil society organisation, on Monday said the government should appoint vice chancellors to public sector universities in the province on merit to improve the quality of higher education.

Karwan chairman Khalid Ayub told reporters at the Peshawar Press Club that the KP Universities (Amendment) Act was enforced to ensure merit in the affairs of the universities but some people were trying to amend it further to serve own interests.

“We’d appreciated the ruling PTI and its chairman, Imran Khan, on the unique legislation (KP Universities (Amendment) Act) as it shows us the real route to improvement and development of education sector in our province,” he said.

Mr. Ayub demanded of Imran Khan to take notice of the interference of the vested interests in the affairs of the universities and ensure merit in the appointment to VCs.

Civil society organisation demands appointment of VCs on merit

He said the KP Universities (Amendment) Act was drafted by very competent people headed by Dr Attaur Rehman, who had clearly stated the basic criteria and qualification for the appointment of a vice chancellor and therefore, the law should be implemented in letter and spirit in the best interests of the people instead of being amended.

The Karwan chief said some people were trying to bring further changes to the law to help undeserving people become VCs.

He said the higher education department should fulfil its responsibilities and search eligible candidates for the VC posts instead of ‘pretending’ that there was a shortage of the qualified people to meet the conditions set by the government.

Mr. Ayub criticised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, who as the acting governor after the resignation of Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan, had allowed further amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities (Amendment) Act, 2015.

He insisted that the assembly’s speaker was deceived by the officials, who sent him the law for permission to further amend it.

The Karwan chief said if the universities law was further amended, it would lose utility in act of sheer injustice with students on part of the government.

He said both political parties and civil society organisations would protest further amendments to the KP Universities (Amendment) Act.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2016