Sindh Cabinet Directs 3-Year Appointment of Qaim Ali Shah’s Daughter as Professor a Day Before Retirement
KARACHI: Professor Dr Nighat Shah, daughter of former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah and a professor at Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), has been directed to be appointed for another three years just one day before her retirement, following a decision of the Sindh provincial cabinet.
The directive has raised questions over the difference between the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) policy regarding the appointment of retired faculty and the provincial government’s specific instructions in Dr Nighat Shah’s case.
According to Geo News, Secretary Boards and Universities Abbas Baloch issued a formal notification referring to agenda item 16 of the provincial cabinet meeting held on August 5. The notification stated that the cabinet had directed the JSMU vice chancellor to consider Dr Nighat Shah’s appointment as a professor for three years in the “larger public interest.”
The notification cited the need to ensure continuity of specialised medical services, academic leadership, postgraduate medical education, research, innovation and institutional standards.
The JSMU vice chancellor was further directed to take immediate necessary action regarding Dr Nighat Shah’s three-year appointment. The notification also instructed the university to implement the cabinet’s decision “without delay and in letter and spirit” and submit a report on the action taken to the Boards and Universities Department on a priority basis.
However, questions have been raised regarding the PM&DC policy cited as the basis for the proposed appointment. A notification issued by the PM&DC on May 19, 2026, allowed government medical and dental institutions to engage retired faculty members on a contractual basis, but clarified that the policy was “enabling in nature” and did not make such appointments mandatory.
Under the policy, institutions may decide whether to retain retired faculty based on their requirements, rules and regulations, and available resources. Retired faculty may be engaged on a purely contractual basis up to the age of 65, without creating any right to permanent employment, seniority or regular absorption.
The policy also states that such appointments should not adversely affect the promotion, career progression or cadre structure of junior faculty members.
Against this backdrop, questions have emerged over why the case of a specific retired faculty member was placed before the provincial cabinet when the PM&DC had left the decision to the concerned institution. Questions have also been raised about the legal and administrative nature of the cabinet’s specific directive for Dr Nighat Shah’s three-year appointment.
Concerns have further been expressed that the proposed appointment could affect the seniority and promotion prospects of several associate professors at JSMU, including Dr Shazia Naseeb, Dr Nasreen Fatima, Dr Saba Khan, Dr Iram Majid and Dr Maimoona Rehman.
The directive issued just one day before Dr Nighat Shah’s retirement has therefore sparked debate over the appointment of retired faculty on contract, seniority and promotion rights, and the extent of the provincial cabinet’s authority in such appointments.
