KARACHI: Prof Dr Muhammad Tufail Jokhio, who is currently serving as the vice chancellor of NED University of Engineering and Technology, is set to assume the additional responsibility of the vice chancellorship of the University of Karachi on Tuesday (today) till the appointment of a regular VC.
He will replace Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi, whose four-year tenure ended on Monday. Dr Iraqi has been heading the province’s largest public sector university since 2019 when he was appointed as the acting VC. Later, he was appointed as the permanent vice chancellor in 2022.
The provincial government’s move to appoint an acting VC was widely welcomed by teaching and non-teaching staff of the varsity.
The Karachi University Teachers’ Society (Kuts) has appreciated the development, while expressing the hope that employees’ “critical issues” will be sorted out soon.
Teaching and non-teaching staff at Karachi University seek bailout package; hope new administration will address critical issues soon
“These issues, including non-payment of dues to both teaching and the non-teaching staff, need immediate attention. The university desperately needs a bailout package and accountability of all the wrongs done over the years,” Dr Syed Ghufran Alam heading Kuts said.
He emphasised that the government should neither ignore merit nor delay decision on KU’s permanent vice chancellorship.
‘Youm-i-Tashakkur’
On Monday, the non-teaching staff of KU gathered in large numbers in front of the administrative block on Monday to observe a “Youm-i-Tashakkur” to mark the departure of the outgoing VC Iraqi.
The event was organised by an alliance of the non-teaching staff comprising at least four bodies.
Speaking at the gathering, the employees appreciated the provincial government for not giving an extension to Prof Iraqi, while demanding a bailout package for the university as well as an independent audit of the past seven years.
“Prof Iraqi didn’t do anything to benefit the university or its employees. We welcome the new vice chancellor,” said Muhammad Farhan Khan heading the alliance.
It may be recalled that the government had not only rejected a proposal to extend the tenure of Prof Iraqi but also in a recent move stopped him from convening a meeting of the KU syndicate.
Three shortlisted for regular VC post
Sources said the selection process for appointment of a regular vice chancellor of the KU has almost been finalised and the search committee tasked with carrying out the relevant process had already interviewed over 40 candidates and shortlisted three names for the post.
The sources also said that security clearance of the shortlisted candidates was currently underway after which the government would make the appointment for the post.
Prof Tufail, a chartered engineer and fellow of both the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK) and the Institution of Engineers Pakistan, had earned his PhD in mechanical engineering, specialising in manufacturing systems, from the University of Nottingham.
An accomplished researcher and mentor, Dr Tufail has supervised numerous doctoral scholars in areas including advanced materials, manufacturing systems, sustainable fuels, additive manufacturing, biomedical alloys, and supply chain quality management.
He has successfully secured and led multi-million-euro international collaborations under Erasmus Mundus, Erasmus+ and UK-Pakistan higher education partnership frameworks, thereby strengthening faculty mobility, research exchange, and institutional capacity building.
In recognition of his contributions to academia and engineering, Dr Tufail has been honored with the PEC Engineers’ Excellence Award (Academia & Research) in 2023, the High Performers Award by the government of Sindh in 2023, and the Wall of Fame Award by the Academic Awards Forum in 2018.
He was instrumental in establishing a constituent college of the university in Tharparkar.
Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2026