Karachi University Appointments Challenged in SHC Over Marine Biology Hiring

An associate professor has challenged Karachi University appointments in the Sindh High Court (SHC), alleging illegal recruitment in the university’s Marine Biology Research Center. The petitioner claims the university violated recruitment rules and ignored a previous court order regarding his promotion. The SHC has now adjourned the hearing for two weeks after the respondents’ lawyer failed to appear.

Petitioner Questions Recruitment Process

Associate Professor Dr Umar Rashid appeared before the Sindh High Court during Friday’s hearing. However, the court postponed the proceedings because the defense counsel was absent. The next hearing will take place after two weeks.

Dr Rashid told the court that Karachi University recruited four associate professors in the Marine Biology Department against the prescribed rules. He argued that the appointments did not follow the legal recruitment procedure. According to the petitioner, the university completed the hiring process despite serious objections.

The petitioner also informed the court that he had not received his promotion even though the judiciary had already ruled in his favor. He said then Chief Justice Sajjad Shah ordered his promotion in 2016. However, the university has yet to implement that decision.

Dr Rashid told the court that more than 11 years have passed since the order. Therefore, he requested the SHC to direct the university to comply with the earlier judgment without further delay.

HEC Opposed the Appointments

Dr Rashid further claimed that the current vice chancellor approved the recruitment of four associate professors shortly before completing his tenure. He argued that the appointments moved forward despite repeated objections from the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

According to the petitioner, the HEC stopped the recruitment process on two separate occasions. In addition, he said the commission cancelled the advertisement issued for the vacancies because it found irregularities in the hiring process.

The SHC did not examine the merits of the case during the latest hearing. Instead, it adjourned the matter because the respondents’ lawyer was unavailable. The court will hear arguments from both sides during the next hearing before deciding the future course of action.