VCs’ appointment in varsities: Kundi claims KP govt submitted wrong statement in SC

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday asked Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of submitting wrong statement in the court by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government about appointment of vice-chancellors in the universities of the province.

In a statement issued from the Governor’s House, he said the counsel for the KP government told the Supreme Court that selection of vice-chancellors of the public sector universities has been completed and the summary was sent to the governor for approval.

“No summary about appointment of vice-chancellors has been sent to the Governor’s House. The chief justice of the Supreme Court should take notice of the wrong statement submitted to the apex court,” the governor said.

He added that acting vice-chancellors were serving at seven public sector universities which was against the law and its summary was sent to the Governor’s House that was returned to the government after placing objections for being illegal.

Faisal Kundi said he had written to the chief minister about appointment of the vice-chancellors in 24 public sector universities where the selection process had been completed. He said he took up the issue of releasing grants by the Higher Education Commission for the universities during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The governor and chief minister both belong to Dera Ismail Khan but are not on good terms.

Instead of joining hands to address terrorism and other challenges being faced by the province, they have exchanged harsh words over the last few weeks. This war of words between the governor and chief minister is unprecedented.

The chief minister the other day used harsh words about the governor, asking him not to cross his limit.

The district of the governor and the chief minister has been witnessing the worst law and order for the last many months. The law and order in the rest of the southern districts and many other towns of the province is also worsening day by day.

Faisal Kundi last month took oath as 35th governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after he was picked by the Pakistan People’s Party. He in his first speech vowed to make all out efforts, along with the provincial government, to improve the law and order in the province and address different other issues.

Before Kundi, Gandapur was elected chief minister of the province after he won his seat in the February 8 general election.