Lahore, Over 30 senior academicians, including vice-chancellors of five universities, have applied for the desired post of the vice-chancellor of Punjab University which falls vacant on Jan 2.

Mandatory PU vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, who will complete his four-year term on Jan 2, has also applied for the post. Besides, Prof Kamran’s wife Prof Dr Najma Najam, who is the vice-chancellor of Karakoram International University and has served the Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, as founder vice-chancellor for eight years, is also among the applicants.

It is also learnt that University of Sargodha vice-chancellor Prof Dr Akram Chaudhry, who has recently been appointed for the second term after a long battle of authority between the chief minister and the governor, has also applied for the post. National Textile University Rector Prof Dr Niaz Ahmad and Garrison University vice-chancellor Prof Dr Jamil Anwar are also among applicants. Among other applicants are almost all senior professors serving at different positions in the Punjab University.

They include: Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences dean Prof Dr Muhammad Ehsan Malik, Faculty of Science dean Prof Dr Khawaja Haris Rashid, Faculty of Education dean Prof Dr Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal, PU College of Information Technology’s Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar, Institute of Administrative Sciences’ Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal Jadoon, Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology’s Prof Dr Muhammad Taqi Zahid Butt, Department of Geography’s Prof Dr Tabassum Jamal, additional registrar Prof Dr Aurangzeb Alamgir, former PU Registrar Prof Dr Naeem Khan, former PU faculties’ deans Prof Dr Mugheesuddin Sheikh, Prof Dr Shahida Husnain and Prof Dr Nayyar Raza Zaidi, former Lahore BISE chairman Prof Dr Zikariya Butt, Dr Habibullah, Dr Muhammad Anwar, Dr Yousaf Hayat, Dr Meezan Ali, Dr Ijaz, Dr Iftikhar Beg and Dr Azra Asghar.

 On the other side, two senior members of the Vice Chancellor Search Committee have excused themselves from continuing as members of the committee for selection of new Vice Chancellors (VCs) for Punjab University and proposed Women University, Multan.  

Over the past many years, the VC Search Committee usually comprises well-known businessman and Pro Chancellor of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Syed Babar Ali, renowned economist and VC Beacon house National University (BNU) Sartaj Aziz, UET Lahore Vice-Chancellor Lt Gen (r) Muhammad Akram Khan, the additional chief secretary (ACS), Punjab, and the Punjab Higher Education Department secretary.

The sources said Syed Babar Ali and Sartaj Aziz had informed the department that, owing to their overwhelming engagements, they would be unable to continue as members of the Search Committee. They added the department had moved a summary to the Chief Minister in this regard and final decision was yet to be taken.