ISLAMABAD, The vice chancellors of public sector universities in the country have expressed concern over political interference in campus affairs.

A source privy to a meeting of the Vice Chancellors’ Committee held here recently told Dawn that heads of the government-run universities called upon the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to help them tackle political interference in administrative and other matters of universities.

Over 70 vice chancellors of government universities from all over the country attended the meeting organised by the Higher Education Commission.

The meeting noted that incidents of political interference in universities took place in the past also but these had increased since the present government came into being. Punjab has witnessed the largest number of cases of interference.

According to an official, some vice chancellors from Punjab said the federal government should take notice of the constant pressure both from the Governor’s House and the Chief Minister’s Secretariat for various favours.

The source said that pressure for posting and transfer of teachers and non-teaching staff to desired positions and for admission of sons and daughters of the influential is commonly faced by vice chancellors.

One vice chancellor from Punjab asked for a meeting between the representatives of the Governor’s House and the Chief Minister’s Secretariat to resolve the issue which was hampering administrative affairs of universities in the province.

Similarly, the vice chancellor of a key university in Sindh informed the meeting that hardly a day passed when he did not receive a recommendation from the CM Secretariat for some favour.

Talking to Dawn, a senior official of the Higher Education Commission remarked that it would be a disservice to the nation if politicians did not stop meddling in the academic institutions.

In reply to a question, the official said the HEC could do little to improve the situation, adding that it was for those at the helm of affairs to realise the gravity of the matter and take action to improve the situation.