University of Chitral project director appointment upheld

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has declared the appointment of Dr Badshah Munir Bukhari as project director of the University of Chitral correct and as per law.

A division bench comprising Justice Ikramullah Khan and Justice Musarrat Hilali dismissed the writ petition of Dr Ismail Wali, who had challenged the appointment. The petitioner claimed the appointment was made on political grounds and in violation of the merit list and law. During the arguments, the petitioner’s lawyer submitted that the petitioner Dr Ismail Wali had done his PhD in English literature and was a scholar of high repute. It was submitted in the petition that the Higher Education Department (HED) secretary had sent a summary to the chief minister for the appointment of project director, University of Chitral.

The petitioner claimed his name was on top in the summary for the post of the project director. He maintained that the HED had recommended only the top three names in the summary for the appointment of the project director of the university. However, counsel for Dr Badshah Munir Bukhari submitted that his client remained former Planning and Development Director at the University of Peshawar and had 19 years rich experience in the relevant post. He said the provincial government had appointed him as a suitable person for the post to make the Chitral University a successful institution.