KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the appointment of Dr Amjad Siraj Memon as the vice chancellor (VC) of the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU).

Prof Dr Lubna Ansari Baig had moved the SHC in 2022 and submitted that she was a professor at JSMU, remained pro-VC for four years and one of the three shortlisted candidates eligible for the appointment of VC of the varsity.

Impugning the appointment of Dr Memon as VC, she had submitted that a search committee had shortlisted the plaintiff with 70 marks, Dr Memon 67.25 and Prof Dr Khaja H. Mujtaba with 48.75 marks.

After interviewing three candidates, the plaintiff submitted that the chief minister/controlling authority had approved the appointment of Dr Memon as VC of JSMU in March 2022 for four years instead of the plaintiff who had qualified the prescribed criteria laid down for purpose of appointment.

She asked the SHC to set aside the appointment in question and submitted that the same was made without considering merits of candidates and no plausible explanation or reasoning had been assigned for exercising such discretion by the chief minister.

She submitted that the CM had acted beyond the mandate and power as provided under the law.

A single-judge bench of SHC, headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, in its order said, “Record reflects that the chief minister after assigning detailed and cogent reasons appointed the defendant No.3 [Dr Memon] as Vice Chancellor of JSMU.”

“It would not be out of place to mention here that chief minister during process of appointment of vice-chancellor may exercise his discretion, by picking any of the recommended candidates by the search committee, which cannot be interfered by this Court unless it is shown that such action is based on malafided and any right of the plaintiff has been infringed,” the order concluded.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2024