KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday suspended a notification regarding the recent appointment of vice chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University till July 14.

The two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui also issued notices to the chairman of the search committee, JSMU registrar, secretary of universities and boards department and other respondents as well as the additional advocate general of Sindh for next hearing.

The bench said the points raised by the lawyer for the appellant required consideration as in the presence of an effective injunction order in which the search committee was restrained not only from forwarding the summary, but also barred the authority concerned from appointing a VC.

An additional advocate general waived the notices on behalf of the provincial authorities concerned and the bench issued a directive to its staff to provide a copy of the appeal to the AAG during the day.

Suspect in attack on journalist remanded in police custody

“In the meantime effect of the notification, available at page 539 along with impugned order, shall remain suspended since short controversy is involved in this matter and counsel seeks its disposal for interim application in suit, let it fixed on 14.07.2021 at 11:30am,” the bench in its interim order said.

Prof Dr Lubna Ansari Baig, one of the candidates for the post of VC, through her lawyer filed an appeal against an order of a single-judge bench of the SHC which she said did not entertain the request of her lawyer to suspend the notification in question on the ground that it would adversely affect the functioning of JSMU.

The lawyer for the appellant argued that a suit was filed against the formation of search committee for appointment of JSMU VC and on April 2 the single bench had allowed the committee to conduct interviews of shortlisted candidates, but restrained it from finalising the list of selected candidate/candidates and accordingly injunctive order was passed.

The lawyer further contended that, on the other hand, a petition was filed regarding the constitution of a search committee since it was functioning in the absence of its chairman and during its pendency the search committee chairman did not join which rendered its formation unlawful, and the petition was disposed of in consideration of rights of the petitioner as the questions raised were without prejudice to the appellant’s right.

The counsel further asserted that the search committee sent a summary for the finalisation and issuance of a notification in violation of the April 2 order of the single-judge bench.

He stated that the appellant was aggrieved by another order of the single-judge bench issued on June 24 in which despite earlier interim orders, which were still in existence, allowed continuation of spirit of the impugned notification.

The lawyer pleaded for the suspension of the June 22 notification, which notified Prof Dr Amjad Siraj Memon as VC of JSMU.

The counsel for the appellant also contended that the appointment of VC was not only illegal for being in contempt of orders of the SHC but also against merit.

Suspect remanded for attacking journalist

A judicial magistrate on Wednesday remanded a suspect in police custody for a day in a case pertaining to an attack on a senior journalist. The investigating officer produced Mohammad Azhar before the magistrate and sought his custody for questioning and arrest of absconders and the main suspects, Aslam and his two sons Azhar and Munib. The prosecution said that the suspects had allegedly attacked Amir Latif with steel bars on the night of June 6, in the parking lot of his office located on M.A. Jinnah Road in the limits of the Preedy police station.         

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2021