PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has “conditionally” appointed regular vice chancellors to 18 public sector universities in the province after a delay of around three years.

The development came following a legal battle between the provincial government and candidates, shortlisted for VC slots, for over one year.

“The appointment is conditional upon the outcome of the review petition filed in the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan against the order dated 16-4-2025 in CPLA (Civil Petition for Leave to Appeal) No 4335/2024,” reads one of the offer letters for appointed vice chancellors.

Through the offer letters issued by the higher education department, those appointed VCs have been asked through offer letters to confirm their acceptance of the appointment within three working days.

Appointments come after delay of around three years

Sources said that those appointed were issued offer letters instead of notification as the appointment process was delayed for over one year and those appointed VCs might have joined other jobs, which they had not at the time of their interviews for the top university post in January 2024.

The appointment of VCs has been done for a period of four years, which is two years with immediate effect and another two year tenure subject to satisfactory performance as stipulated under section 12(6B) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act, 2012.

The vice chancellor for the then University of Engineering and Applied Sciences Swat couldn’t be appointed after changing the pattern of the university as the provincial government has replaced it with the Computing Sciences and Information Technology University, Swat.

Sources told Dawn that previously the engineering degree was required for the VC but now the required qualification had been changed.

They said that the vacant position of the university would be advertised soon along with the vacant positions of the other universities.

Among the VCs appointed by the HED are Prof Tahir Irfan Khan to the Abbottabad University of Science and Technology, Prof Mohammad Zafar Iqbal to the Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan, Prof Zulfiqar Alito the University of Agriculture DI Khan, Prof Mohammad Tahir Khan Khalil to the Khushal Khan Khattak University Karak, Prof Aurangzaib Khan to the University of Lakki Marwat, Prof Mohammad Ali to the Hazara University Mansehra, Prof Gul Mohammad Khan tot he University of Engineering and Technology Mardan, Prof Dawood Janto the University of Agriculture Swat and Prof Sardar Khan to the University of Shangla.

The others include Prof Shakibullah to the University of University Veterinary and Animal Sciences Swat, Prof Johar Ali to the University of Peshawar, Prof Mohammad Sadiq to the University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Prof Jameel Ahmad to the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Prof Zahoorul Haq to the Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Prof Syed Badshah to the Shuhada Army Public School University Nowshera, Prof Syed Zafar Ilyasto the Kohat University of Science and Technology Kohat, Prof Mohammad Jahanzaib Khan to the University of Science and Technology Bannu and Prof Ghazala Yasmeen to the Women University Swabi.

Officials said the VC vacancies were advertised during the last PTI government when Mahmood Khan was the chief minister.

The academic search committee for the appointment of VCs had interviewed aspirants from Jan 22 to Jan 26, 2024.

However, the PTI government, which was formed after the general elections, refused to accept the process for the VCs’ appointment, insisting that the caretakers didn’t have legal powers to fill top university posts.

Sources said that the provincial government was unable to defend its actions related to VCs and finally decided to notify those candidates as VCs who were shortlisted by the academic search committee.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2025