Khalid Iraqi removed as KU vice-chancellor

The Sindh High Court has removed Professor Khalid Iraqi as the vice-chancellor of the University of Karachi.

"If the order is not implemented in a week, we will initiate contempt proceedings," warned Justice Aftab Gorar, annulling all decisions taken by Iraqi since January 26, 2022.

At a hearing on Thursday, the petitioner said Iraqi was still involved in the varsity's police-making despite orders from court.

Earlier, the judge, after noting serious allegations levelled against acting Iraqi, had directed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to appoint a permanent vice-chancellor within three months.

It had ruled: Before parting with this order, we have noticed that serious allegations have been levelled against the present Acting Vice-Chancellor of the respondent university as discussed in the preceding paragraphs, therefore, we deem it appropriate to direct the respondent-university to forward the names of 10 senior most professors according to the seniority list maintained by the respondent university to be placed before the worthy Chief Minister, Sindh to nominate one senior-most professor in BPS-22, who shall be notified as the acting Vice-Chancellor in the intervening period

On February 24, Justice Gorar said if the post is not filled within the stipulated time, contempt proceedings will be initiated against Shah and directed the university provide a list of candidates that may be recommended for the post.

The court has also directed the formation of a search committee for the appointment of a permanent vice chancellor.

Karachi university's Prof Dr Mohammad Ahmed Qadri, Prof Dr Moonis Ahmar, retired Prof Dr Syed Ehteshamul Haque and others filed a petition last year appealing that the authorities concerned had advertised the vacant post of vice chancellor and later a corrigendum was issued in which the criteria relating to experience, research work and age was changed to give benefit to a few candidates and to seemingly exclude them.

Who is Khalid Iraqi?

Professor Iraqi was appointed as the VC in 2019. An alumnus of the varsity, he completed his masters in political science in 1989 and later PhD in public administration.

At the university, he served as the dean, faculty of management and administrative sciences, director of admissions, adviser to vice chancellor on campus security affairs and students’ adviser.