KARACHI: Two professors took over charge of acting vice chancellors at public sector universities on Monday after the chief minister sent the incumbent VCs of the respective institutions on forced leave and set up inquiry committees to investigate charges against them.

According to government notifications, one inquiry committee will probe allegations of sexual harassment against Prof Akhtar Baloch, Vice Chancellor of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University, Lyari (BBSUL), while the other will look into the charges of negligence and maladministration against Prof Anila Atta-ur-Rehman, VC of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana.

The inquiry committees tasked to investigate the charges and fix responsibility would submit reports within 45 days during which the acting VCs would be taking care of the universities.

“The allegations of sexual harassment allegedly committed by Prof Akhtar Baloch, VC of BBSUL, were placed before the Sindh chief minister, who, in exercise of powers vested in him, under Sub-section (3) of Section 12 of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University, Lyari, Act 2009 (as amended by Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment) Act, 2018), constituted an inquiry committee comprising following members and terms of reference,” said a notification.

The inquiry committee is led by Prof Mohammad Saeed Quraishy, VC of Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS). Prof Tayyaba Zarif, VC of Government College University, Hyderabad, and Prof Nazli Hussain of DUHS are members of the committee.

According to another notification, a committee comprising Prof Mohammad Saeed Quraishy, DUHS VC, as convener and Prof Saleem Raza Samo, VC of Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology (QUEST), Nawabshah, and Prof Sajida Yousafani, dean of Faculty of Surgery and Allied Sciences, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, as members was constituted to look into allegations of leveled against Prof Anila Atta-ur-Rehman, VC of SMBBMU, Larkana, and “…probe and fix responsibility for the alleged negligence, misadministration and maladministration of the VC, which has led to tragic incidents of (students) deaths at the hostels of Chandka Medical College, Larkana. It will further probe various irregularities as highlighted by the audit,” said the Feb 12 notification.

Under government directives, Prof Amjad Siraj Memon, meritorious professor of surgery (BPS-22) at DUHS will be looking after the BBSUL and Prof Hakim Ali Abro will take over charge of SMBBMU, where he is currently part of medicine faculty, as acting vice chancellors.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2022