KARACHI: Upset over the provincial cabinet’s decision of granting a three-year extension to a retiring colleague, six faculty members of the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) have sought the vice chancellor’s intervention in the matter, urging him to uphold the principles of merit, seniority and prescribed criteria.

In a recent letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the staffers, including the senior registrar of the concerned department at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), have expressed concern over the cabinet’s decision to grant a three-year extension to Prof Dr Nighat Shah.

The Aug 11 letter — signed by Associate Prof Dr Shazia Naseeb, Associate Prof Dr Memoona Rehman, Assistant Prof Dr Shafaq Ismail, Assistant Prof Dr Omema Akhtar, Assistant Prof Dr Mahrukh Hyder and Senior Registrar Dr Saira Sheikh of the JPMC’s department of obstetrics & gynaecology — refers to the Aug 10 letter of the Universities and Boards Department and argues that a considerable number of associate professors and assistant professors are awaiting promotion on the basis of seniority and prescribed eligible criteria.

“Such extensions are usually considered only when no suitable incumbent is available to assume the relevant position. If the said decision is implemented, it may adversely affect the career progression of eligible members and undermine the principles of merit, seniority and established promotion criteria.

Say decision to re-appoint Dr Nighat Shah may adversely affect career progression of eligible members; JPMC official defends extension, considers her driving force behind hospital’s gynaecology unit

“It may also have a negative impact on the morale and productivity of the faculty and create administrative difficulties within the institution, ultimately affecting the quality of teaching, research and patient care,” the letter says.

The staffers urge the vice chancellor to review the matter and consider “its implications in the larger public interest, while ensuring that the principles of seniority and prescribed criteria are duly upheld.”

It might be recalled that the cabinet, in a rare move, has recently granted a three-year extension to Prof Nighat Shah, heading an obstetrics & gynaecology ward at the JPMC, a few days before her retirement. Prof Shah is the daughter of former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah.

Sources said the development came at a time when the department had already advertised teaching posts, triggering a debate on social media platforms.

‘Govt could have avoided controversy’

While government officials maintain that the extension is purely contractual, made within the permissible policy framework of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), keeping in view Prof Shah’s long-standing contributions, members of the medical fraternity believe that the government could have avoided this situation by bringing in its own law of hiring/retaining retired faculty in the light of PMDC’s policy/guidelines on the subject and allowed Prof Shah to present her case before a selection board, like the rest of the candidates.

A May 19th notification of the PMDC allows public sector medical/dental institutions to engage retired faculty members up to the age of 65 years on a purely contractual basis, “subject to institutional requirements and applicable rules/policies”.

“It is further stated that such contractual engagements shall not confer any right of regular appointment, seniority or permanent absorption in service. Such engagement shall not adversely affect the promotion prospects, career progression or cadre structure of junior faculty members.

“Furthermore, this decision is enabling in nature and shall not be construed as mandatory or binding upon the institution,” the PMDC notification says.

Sources said the JSMU adopted the said notification through its syndicate and senate and in July this year sent a letter to the health minister and the secretary universities and boards, seeking government permission for hiring/retaining of retired faculty to address shortage of staff in some departments. The approval is still awaited.

“We are finding it very difficult to engage faculty in areas where there is severe shortage; therefore, it is requested that the government may issue orders so that we can employ retired faculty members in special cases up to the age of 65, subject to institutional requirements and applicable rules and policies,” says a letter by JSMU vice chancellor.

Sources also shared that Prof Shah was made a full professor at JSMU through a 2024-25 selection board.

JPMC defends extension

“Dr Nighat Shah is highly qualified and talented and deserves extension. She made functional a gynaecology unit, lying idle at the JPMC for over a decade, and greatly improved patient services after ending internal issues and tug-of-war going on among the staff members,” said Deputy Executive Director JPMC Dr Yahya Tunio.

He added that Dr Shah worked at the Aga Khan University Hospital for several years prior to joining the JPMC.

He regretted the social media campaign against Dr Shah and said that right now her department was offering several key services for reproductive health and family planning, which were not available at other public sector hospitals. She also won research grants for the department.

“For the first time in JPMC, menopause, adolescent health, and early assessments units for pregnant women have been started. As a secretary general of the maternal mortality task force, she was instrumental in signing an agreement with the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases for mothers with heart disease,” Dr Tunio said.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2026