Daily Times

Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, is facing serious administrative crisis, due to which many of the prominent posts have been captured by retired officers and people oppinted through political influences.

Such irregular appointmnets are adding further to the quandary of the university, which is already facing plethora of problems.

Earlier, a petitition was filed by Professor Sikandar Mughal to which Sindh High Court ordered to appoint a properRegistrar within two months, but Sindh governmnet did not appoint a competent officer which further increased the problems.

Dr Afsar Bhutto was posted for two months as SMBBMU registrar by the government of Syed Murad Ali Shah but he is still continuing in sheer violation of standing orders of the court due to political backing, sources said.

Another such example is the the resignation of SMBBMU Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr. Ghulam Asghar Channa after which Professor Ghulam Murtaza Pathan was directed to look after the charge of VC till a fresh appointment is made. Professor Ghulam still continues the post and his removal is still undecided.

It is also learnt that Higher Education Commission (HEC) warranted over one billion rupees for the university but it is alleged that over Rs 44 crore were misappropriated and embezzled allegedly by university’s Project Director (PD) with the help of two private contractors pointed out by HEC Fact Finding Committee. University’s Syndicate decided to remove PD and ex-VC removed him but he was reinstated illegally on july 26th.

Despite non-availability of responsible proper officers, SMBBMU was granted Rs 949.747 million but Rs 966.726 million of those were spent on main campus but the main bulidings of the univeristy are still incomplete for the last ten years, which shows that negligence of the Sindh governement.

VC, Professor, Ghulam Murtaza Pathan told newsmen of Daily Times that there is an acute shortage of required staff . He said if late appointments are made on different vital posts then university will suffer seriously. He said proper appointments are expected on major posts of Director (HR), Director (Admin) but temporary appointees need to be removed.

He also said there is shortage of professors in Pathology, Pharmacology, Bio-Chemistry and other major departments of Chandka Medical College. He said PD of the University was removed in compliance to the decision of the SMBBMU Syndicate and former VC reinstated him in previous date after withdrawing his termination order.

He said he has nothing to do with this decision. Professor Pathan said that 90% work of the main SMBBMU Campus is complete, buildings are lying empty which require completion of the remaining work along with supply of furniture and other required material.

He said that previous VC did not brief me before leaving the office. He said university is facing multifarious issues which need to be tackled on priority basis, including establishment of good governance.

Published in Daily Times, August 20^th 2018.