PHC grants 10 days to KP govt to appoint VCs for varsities

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday granted 10-day time to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for compliance with the court orders for the appointment of vice-chancellors in the universities of the province.

A two-member bench comprising Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah heard the contempt of court petition filed against the non-appointment of VCs. Aamir Javed appeared for the petitioner while Additional Advocate General (AAG) represented the provincial government.

During the hearing, Justice SM Attique Shah expressed serious concern over the non-appointment of VCs despite court orders. He remarked that if the provincial government could not appoint VCs, then it should start housing societies in these universities.

He observed that 19 universities were currently running without VCs, which he termed regrettable.

Justice Sahibzada Asadullah remarked that the court had directed the provincial government on August 22 to make appointments of VCs, but three months had passed without compliance.

The petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that despite clear orders, the provincial government had failed to appoint VCs in 19 universities in KP. The court, he pleaded, had directed on August 22 that appointment be made, but the universities remained without VCs.

The lawyer argued that the recommendations of the committee must be presented to the chief minister for approval followed by the formal appointment of VCs.

The AAG informed the court that a summary had been sent, but the provincial government had challenged the Peshawar High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court.

Justice Sahibzada Asadullah questioned the provincial government’s intentions and asked whether it was determined not to make the appointments and instead chose to approach the Supreme Court.

However, the petitioner’s lawyer pointed out that the court had clearly ordered compliance.

The AAG then explained that delays were caused due to the unavailability of the provincial higher education minister and the chief minister.

The court then summoned the secretary of the Higher Education Department and adjourned the hearing briefly.

Upon resumption of hearing, AG Shah Faisal Uthmankhel and the secretary Higher Education appeared before the court. The AG told the court that the government had not restarted the appointment process but had decided to issue new advertisements, a decision previously nullified by the court. The Academic Search Committee, he argued, had already submitted recommendations with three candidates for each university.

Upon this, the petitioner’s lawyer reiterated that the committee’s recommendations should be forwarded to the chief minister to approve and send them to the chancellor.

The AG clarified that before the elections, the caretaker CM had signed the summary but had not forward it to the chancellor. He assured the court that they were complying with its orders and had also filed an appeal in the SC.

Justice Shah directed the AG to convey to the CM that compliance with court orders must be ensured and then granted the provincial government 10 days to implement the directives and ensure compliance.