PESHAWAR: After challenging the selection process by senior professors, Peshawar High Court (PHC) restrained provincial government from issuing the appointment notification of the Khyber Medical University (KMU) Vice Chancellor (VC).
A division bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Inam Ullah Khan heard the writ petition filed by Dr AH Amir and Dr Mohammad Ayaz Khan, both senior professors and shortlisted candidates for the post of vice chancellor.
The court issued notices to the KP government, the KMU Chancellor, the Academic Search Committee, and other respondents. The court has sought their replies to the petition and fixed the next hearing for July 13.
The petition challenged the selection process, alleging favoritism, manipulation and violations of statutory requirements, claiming the process was not transparent and violated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act, 2012.
According to the petition, the Academic Search Committee evaluated candidates mainly through interviews instead of following the merit-based criteria required by law. The professors argue that objective factors such as academic qualifications, research publications, administrative experience, and leadership record should have carried the majority of the evaluation.
The petition also alleges that three recommended candidates do not meet the eligibility criteria set by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). It claims they have less than the required 10 years of experience as professors for the post of vice chancellor. After hearing the initial arguments, the PHC directed the respondents to submit their responses and restrained the provincial government from issuing the appointment notification until further proceedings scheduled for July 13.
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