Khudayar Mohla –
Single-member bench of the Lahore High Court Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi will take up contempt plea filed over rules violation in appointment of the vice chancellor University of Agriculture, Faisalabad on May 16.
A controversy regarding this appointment emerged when Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (former Vice Chancellor of University of Agriculture, Faisalabad) filed a contempt petition before the Lahore High Court alleging that the said appointment has been made in clear violation of the directions of the High Court.
Dr. Khan has alleged that submitted before the court that on March 13 the High Court has issued directives to Chancellor/Governor Ch. Muhammad Sarwar to notify the person highest in merit against the slot of Vice Chancellor the university within a period of 15 days.
This direction of the Court was based on the recent rulings of the Supreme Court of Pakistan where, in order to minimize the political influence in the appointment of vice chancellors in public universities, the top court held that these appointments shall be made purely on merit, set by respective search committees.
The Supreme Court also held that governments shall only appoint the person highest on merit as the vice chancellor of public sector universities in future.
Petitioner Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan has submitted that he was the person highest on merit but the government in sheer violation of merit and directives the High Court have appointed a person against the slot who was lowest on merit from amongst the three shortlisted candidates as the vice chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
It has also been learnt that the petitioner is also a relative of the President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Punjab, Rana Sanaullah. According to Dr. Khan the actual reason for not appointing him as the vice chancellor despite being the highest on merit is his family ties PML-N leadership.
After hearing the arguments of the petitioner’s counsels Bilal Hasan Minto and Barrister Muhammad Saram Israr, the High Court has issued contempt notices to Chief Minister Punjab, Chancellor of the University Ch. Muhammad Sarwar, Ch. Pervaiz Elahi, chief secretary and secretary Agriculture Punjab in the matter.
The High Court has issued directives to all these persons to come up with complete record of appointment of vice chancellor of the University of Faisalabad on May 16.
