STAFF REPORT PSR: The process of appointment of full-time vice chancellor of nine public sector universities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa may suffer more delay due to reservations about qualification of some final candidates.
It is learned that Pervez Khattak Chief Minister KP has returned the summary to Higher Education Commission (HEC) to submit separate case for each universities. The candidates for University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Peshawar, and Technology University, Nowshera are yet to be finalized due to verification of their documents yet to be finalized as both the candidates were abroad. However, names of seven other universities VCs have been finalized, which will be announced soon, sources told.
Three names for each university has already recommended by the academic and search committee, which would be forwarded in fresh summaries, but in principal decision for appointment of the Vice Chancellors of the seven universities has been taken.
According to the sources the expected appointment and selected candidates details are as under:
Islamia College University: Dr Habib Ahmad, the acting vice-chancellor of Hazara University; while the other two contenders are Dr Iftikhar Ahmad of Malakand University and Dr Khan Bahader Marwat of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Upper Dir.
Womens University Mardan: Dr Ghazala Nizam, College of Home Economics, University of Peshawar; while the other two candidates are Dr Najma Najam, the founder VC of Fatima Jinnah University for Women and former VC of Karakoram International University Gilgit-Baltistan, and Prof Dr Noor Jahan, University of Swabi.
Womens University Swabi: Dr Khanzadi Fatima Khattak, Abdul Wali Khan University; while Dr Najma Najam and Dr Ghazala Nizam are the nominees.
Kohat University of Science and Technology: Dr Azamul Asar, former dean UET Peshawar; the other two candidates are Prof Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari, and Dr Nasir Jamal Khattak; both are its former vice-chancellors.
Abbottabad University of Science and Technology: Prof Dr Iftikhar Ahmad is expected to be appointed as VC, while Dr Raheen Qamar of COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, and Dr Khan Bahadur Marwat also nominated.
Hazara University: Dr Mohammad Idrees, University of Punjab; while Dr Abbas Chaudhry of UET Taxial, and Dr Matiullah Khan, Pakistani Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) are contenders.
Gomal University: Choices would be made between Dr Matiullah Khan and Dr Mohammad Sarwar, University of Agriculture Faisalabad; because Dr Mohammad Idrees seems finalized for Hazara University.
The verdict about UET, Peshawar and Technology University, Nowshera may face further adjournment since there are certain reservations over qualification of the recommended names for both the universities.
The names of Prof Dr Qamarul Wahab, Dr Khalid Hafeez and Dr Jamil Ahmad of the private sector Abasyn University had been recommended for the UET, while Dr Jamil Ahmad, Dr Khalid Hafeez and Dr Azamul Asar have been proposed for Technology University, Nowshera.