The Lahore High Court has suspended a notification by the Governor of Punjab regarding the appointment procedures for vice-chancellors in public universities.
Justice Abid Hussain Chatta presided over the case, ruling that the notification contradicted existing legal provisions. According to their respective acts, each university already has a defined procedure for appointing vice-chancellors and deans, which the governor’s directive failed to adhere to.
The court’s decision came after considering several petitions, including one from Dr. Shazia Arshad, arguing that the governor’s actions were legally unfounded. It was emphasized that the governor does not possess the authority to independently set appointment processes that modify or override the established acts of the universities.
This ruling effectively annuls the governor’s circular intended to qualify the appointment of vice-chancellors in state universities. It follows the Punjab government’s controversial appointment of vice-chancellors to seven universities on September 23, 2024. These appointments had previously sparked significant disagreements between Governor Sardar Saleem Haider and the provincial government.
