LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has reportedly withheld notifications of five top candidates selected for the position of vice chancellor (VC) at various public sector universities of the province.

Sources alleged that the decision was made due to concerns over the political affiliations of the top candidates, sparking controversy over the impartiality of the selection process.

The universities affected include Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), Government College University (GCU) Lahore, Information and Technology University (ITU) Lahore, Government College University Faisalabad and University of Narowal.

According to insiders, the CM has directed that these posts be re-advertised, allegedly to place individuals who align more closely with the government’s political agenda.

Maryam springs a surprise by directing re-advertisement of positions

The search committee, led by former bureaucrat Ismail Qureshi and comprising members like retired Lt-Gen Muhammad Asghar, Farkhanda Wasim Afzal and Amjad Saqib, had conducted interviews for these key positions in August.

The committee had recommended candidates including Prof Naeem Ahmad Khan for IUB, Prof Mumtaz Anwar for University of Narowal, Prof Adnan for ITU, and Prof Rauf-e-Azam for GCU Faisalabad. Prof Ahmad Shuja was initially appointed as VC of University of Gujrat but later he declined the position for personal reasons.

Sources claimed that intelligence reports were sought to assess the political leanings of these candidates. Upon review, it was allegedly found that the candidates did not meet the ‘political preferences’ of the ruling party. Subsequently, the CM ordered the posts to be re-advertised, aiming to appoint individuals more favourable to the government’s vision.

One of the search committee members revealed that the panel did not recommend any candidate for the VC position at GCU Lahore, citing the lack of a suitable choice and therefore suggested the post be re-advertised.

Earlier, Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan reportedly raised concerns over the appointment process for GCU Faisalabad and several women’s universities, sending the summaries back to the CM’s office.

The Higher Education Department (HED) responded to the governor’s concerns without altering its original position.

Punjab Minister for Information Azma Bukhari downplayed the controversy, stating that delays in the VC appointments were due to political conflicts between the provincial government and the governor.

She emphasised that the search committee had ensured merit in the selection process and dismissed claims that the appointments were politically motivated. “The future of students is our priority, not political affiliations,” Bukhari stated, adding that some positions would be re-advertised because suitable candidates were not found, not because of political concerns.

On Sept 16, CM Maryam Nawaz met with seven candidates vying for VC positions at public sector women universities in Punjab, which include Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), Women University Sialkot and Fatima Jinnah University Rawalpindi.

The candidates, selected by the search committee, included top academics like Dr. Uzma Qureshi, Dr. Anila Kamal and Dr. Shazia Bashir.

As political tensions continue to mount, the issue of VC appointments at these key institutions remains unresolved, leaving the future of leadership at several public universities in limbo.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2024