Daily Times

LAHORE (Daily Times Exclusive): Nasira Jabeen has been appointed new Vice Chancellor (VC) for Punjab University and Dr Farkhanda Manzoor for Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), the Government of Punjab’s Higher Education Department will make formal announcement in due time.

The Daily Times has obtained copy of the appointment notification for Dr Farkhanda.

In the wake of dismissals of Punjab University (PU) and Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) vice chancellors on orders of the Supreme Court, the varsities conducted interviews to appoint provisional VCs on Friday.

Earlier, the registrars of the varsities were directed by the Punjab Higher Education Deparment (HED) to conduct interviews and appoint provisional heads, who will remain in charge until the government appoints permanent heads.

In a notification issued to both the universities, the HED directed the search committee given the task to appoint a permanent VC to appoint an interim head until appointment of a permanent vice chancellor.

Dr Taqi Zahid Butt, Dr Shahid Kamal, Dr Fakhr ul Haq Noori, Dr Nasira Jabeen and Dr Saleem Mazhar of PU were asked to appear for the interview to fill the vacant spot.

While on the other hand, Dr Bushra Khan, Dr Shagufta Naz and Dr Farkhanda Manzoor of the LCWU were called for the same purpose.

The members of the search committee include industrialist Abdul Razak Dawood as its head, Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Dr Umar Saif, Punjab Accreditation Committee Chairman Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, and Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) Chairperson Dr Fauzia Waqar as its members.

On April 21, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar suspended Punjab University’s Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr. Zakaria Zakar, and installed a senior professor as temporary VC, while on April 22 the apex court also ordered the vice chancellors of LCWU, Fatima Jinnah University, Rawalpindi Medical University and Faisalabad Medical University to resign with immediate effect and directed the search committee to appoint VCs on merit.