KARACHI: Prof Dr Masood Hameed Khan was given the additional charge of the post of vice chancellor of the Dow University of Health Sciences on Tuesday.

The appointment of Prof Khan presently working as professor of medicine and project director, Dow Serobiological Centre, DUHS, was notified by the governor secretariat.

It is worth noting that Prof Khan has been given the charge of the vice chancellorship for the fourth time, which is against the Sindh Universities Laws (Amendment) Act, 2013.

`This appointment is a huge setback not only for those who are struggling for merit and the rule of law, but also for a prestigious institution like the DUHS and its students,` said Dr Mirza Ali Azhar representing the Pakistan Me dical Association.

The decision had no moral and legal grounds as the law allowed only two terms for a vice chancellor, he added.

Prof Khan`s appointment for a third term, he recalled, was challenged last year and later contempt of court proceedings were also initiated against him as he violated court orders that allowed him to exercise limited administrative powers.`What is happening is nothing but a cruel joke,` he said.

Prof Khan took the charge of DUHS vice chancellor in 2004 and took another term in 2008, which came to an end in 2012. He was given the third term in 2013 but in the same year the law on universities was amended and a vice chancellor was restricted to only two terms.

Prof Khan went to the court against the amendment, but his appeal was dismissed and he had to vacate his post for three months.

Later in 2014, the government amended the law to provide him with another opportunity to serve as the vice chancellor. The amendment was again challenged and, as a result, he was allowed to serve as the vice chancellor by the court with limited administrative powers.

Dr Khan finally left his seat in September this year after that the government appointed Prof Umar Farooq and Prof Mohammad Qaiser as acting vice chancellors.

Afterwards, Prof Naushad Sheikh, already serving as the vice chancellor of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, was appointed as the vice chancellor of the DUHS.

This appointment was challenged twice in the court on grounds that it violated merit and presently the case is in court.