QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet on Friday decided to remove the Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University vice chancellor, Prof Dr Sajida Noureen and sent a summary to the governor for further action.

Last month, protests erupted at institution, the only women’s university in Balochistan, with employees demanding the vice chancellor’s resignation and accusing her and the university administration of making recruitments in the university in violation of merit.

The spokesman for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind, while briefing the media about the provincial cabinet’s decisions, said that an inquiry report against Prof Sajida Noureen was presented to the cabinet and, in view of that report, the cabinet decided to remove her from her post.

A summary about her removal from the post has been sent to the Balochistan governor for further action, he said.

Rubina Mushtaq appointed as acting head of varsity; govt to recruit 4,000 teachers

The cabinet also decided to appoint Rubina Mushtaq as the acting vice chancellor of the university, he said.

The cabinet meeting presided over by the Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, decided to hire more teachers on contract basis for making functional all abandoned and non-functional schools in the province.

The spokesman said the process of recruiting 4,000 candidates who have passed tests and interviews, has started and they will be hired on a one-and-a-half-year contract.

These appointments, the spokesman said, will be made at union council level for one and a half years, and the teachers will not be transferred to any other school or city.

He said that recruitment of teachers on contract will be based on merit and it will be determined by marks obtained by candidates in matric, intermediate and graduation.

Mr Rind said that the provincial government has repaid a loan of Rs2.8 billion which had been taken in 2014 for the purchase of wheat to meet the province requirements, and on which Rs120 million interest was being paid monthly by the provincial government.

Replying to a question, he said the Gwadar Airport is a federal government project and its final inauguration date will be announced by Islamabad.

He told reporters that a body has been found in Harnai area, but it has not been identified so far.

He requested the reporters to avoid speculations about the case until identification of the victim is confirmed.

Bodies have also been found in Chagai area and identification process of these bodies is under way.

He said that children of registered workers of the Workers Welfare Board have been given educational scholarships in Dera Bugti, Quetta and Harnai.

The cabinet directed the secretary of health to present proposals to the cabinet for purchase of medicines as soon as possible.

The cabinet condemned firing in Mastung area in which Panjgur deputy commissioner Zakir Hussian Baloch was martyred and Panjgur Municipal Comm­ittee Chairman Abdul Malik Baloch was injured.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2024