The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has introduced the Universities Amendment Bill 2024, proposing major changes to the governance of universities in the province.
The bill, presented in the KP Assembly by Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam, seeks to replace the governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of universities. Additionally, the authority to appoint vice chancellors (VCs) would also transfer to the chief minister under the proposed legislation.
Key Provisions of the Bill
- Vice Chancellor Appointments: The chief minister will select VCs from a list of three candidates recommended by the Academic Search Committee.
- Tenure and Performance: VCs will serve a four-year term, with a performance review conducted after two years. A score below 65% could result in the termination of their term.
- Registrar Appointments: The bill proposes revising the process for appointing registrars, allowing the chancellor to select a registrar from the university’s administrative officers.
Assembly Discussions
In a session chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, Aftab Alam also addressed recent violence in the Kurram district. He attributed the unrest to misinformation on social media, informing the House that an immediate visit to the area was made after the clashes.
Alam assured members that disarmament operations were underway, with a peace jirga empowered by the chief minister to mediate. “An operation against illegal weapons will be carried out,” he stated.
Opposition PML-N MLA Jalal Khan criticized the political unrest at D-Chowk, accusing leaders of fleeing during the crisis. He urged for dialogue instead of conflict, condemning the loss of innocent lives and holding leadership accountable for the deaths during protests.
The session faced a quorum challenge by opposition member Nisar Baz, leading to its adjournment until December 3 at 2 pm.
