PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi have locked horns over the appointment of nominees for statutory bodies of the province’s top public sector universities.
This is not the first time the governor and the KP government have been at odds. Political differences between the chief minister – who belongs to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the governor, affiliated with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) – have often led to disagreements.
Education is one of the sectors most affected by the ongoing political tussle between the two, as many public universities continue to operate like a “headless chicken” due to the non-appointment of permanent vice chancellors.
In the latest dispute, the KP government on Thursday rejected the governor’s notification appointing 76 members to the senate, syndicate, and selection boards of 21 public sector universities, calling it “illegal.”
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The notification, issued by the governor, included appointments for institutions such as Peshawar Engineering University, Khyber Medical College University, Agriculture University Peshawar, Swabi University, Benazir Women University Peshawar, Gomal University DI Khan, Bannu Science and Technology University, Swat University, and Malakand University, among others.
Sources said the appointees included PPP MPAs Ahmed Karim Kundi, Arbab Zarak, and several other PPP workers and office bearers.
The KP government has rejected these appointments, arguing that the governor is bound to make such decisions based on directives from the chief minister and provincial cabinet, which were not issued in this case.
The government alleged that Governor Kundi wants to “accommodate Jialas” as all the nominees he appointed are affiliated with PPP in one way or another.
Provincial Minister for Higher Education Mina Khan Afridi termed the appointments illegal, saying that the government does not recognize them. He also accused the governor of returning several summaries related to higher education instead of approving them.
Meanwhile, sources in the Governor House maintained that the appointments were made in accordance with the law.