Syed Ali Shah :
QUETTA: Balochistan High Court (BHC) has declared the notification about the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor Balochistan University of Health and Management Sciences (BUHMS) as void and of no legal effect.
A division bench of the BHC comprising Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Mr. Justice Abdul Hameed Baloch passed this judgment on a petition. Dr. Ghulam Mustaf and others had filed the petition challenging the three years extension in the appointment of the VC BUHMS.
The bench ordered that a notification issued by the Chancellor regarding the extension in the appointment of VC BUHMS on 1/8/2021 is declared void and illegal. The bench has directed the Chancellor/ Governor Balochistan to initiate the process of selection/appointment of the Vice-Chancellor as per the provisions of the 2017 act.
New VC should appoint remaining staff strictly on merit: Court orders
The bench disposed of the petition and directed that the appointments in the university shall be made as per the advertisement published in a local daily on 17/11/2021 strictly on merit by the new VC BUHMS.
The petitioners pleaded that the second notification regarding the extension of appointment of Dr. Naqeebullah Achakzai as the VC BUHMS was a violation of merit. It may be mentioned here that former Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai had appointed Surgeon Naqeebullah Achakzai as the VC BUHMS for a term of three years after the establishment of the university in 2017.
The bench thus observed that person-specific laws cannot be promulgated since they encourage nepotism.
Former Chancellor Justice (R) Aman Yaseenzai had extended the appointment of Achakzai
Former Governor Justice (R), Amanullah Khan Yaseenzai had extended the appointment of Mr. Achakzai for another three years. However, the BHC on Monday declared the said notification void and illegal.
BUHMS was established as the province’s first medical university during former Chief Minister, Dr. Malik Baloch led government in the province.
