Karachi University Gives Temporary Charge to Pharmacy Dean as Acting VC Travels Abroad

The University of Karachi is set to operate under another temporary administrative arrangement as its acting vice chancellor leaves Pakistan for a 20-day academic visit during the university’s 2027 admissions period.

Prof Dr Muhammad Haris Shoaib, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, has reportedly been assigned responsibility for the university’s day-to-day administrative affairs while Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Tufail travels to the United States, Canada and Sri Lanka.

The development has attracted attention because Karachi University is already functioning without a permanent vice chancellor.

However, an important distinction needs to be made: Dr Haris Shoaib has not been publicly listed by the university as a new acting vice chancellor.

Karachi University’s official administration pages continued to identify Prof Dr Muhammad Tufail as Acting Vice Chancellor when checked by Info-Matix.

The latest arrangement therefore appears to be a temporary delegation of routine administrative responsibility during Tufail’s absence rather than a formal replacement in the office of vice chancellor.

Who Is Currently the Acting Vice Chancellor of Karachi University?

According to Karachi University’s official website, Prof Dr Muhammad Tufail remains the university’s Acting Vice Chancellor.

The university lists him as the principal academic and executive officer responsible for chairing statutory bodies including the Syndicate and Academic Council.

Tufail is simultaneously the permanent Vice Chancellor of NED University of Engineering and Technology.

NED University’s official administration records identify him as its current vice chancellor and show that he holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

He was given additional charge of Karachi University after the tenure of previous VC Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi ended in July 2026.

Why Is Dr Muhammad Tufail Leaving Temporarily?

According to ProPakistani and Express Tribune, Tufail received a no-objection certificate for an approximately 20-day academic visit to the United States, Canada and Sri Lanka.

The reporting says this will be his second overseas academic visit in roughly two months.

During his absence, responsibility for routine affairs at both universities is being temporarily redistributed.

At Karachi University, Dr Haris Shoaib has been asked to manage day-to-day matters.

At NED University, Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Noman Ahmed has reportedly been given temporary responsibility while Tufail is abroad.

NED University’s official website independently confirms that Noman Ahmed is the institution’s Pro-Vice Chancellor.

Who Is Prof Dr Muhammad Haris Shoaib?

Prof Dr Muhammad Haris Shoaib is the Dean of Karachi University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The university’s official academic directory lists him as head of the faculty, which includes departments such as:

• Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• Pharmaceutics
• Pharmacology
• Pharmacognosy
• Pharmacy Practice

He is also listed among the members of the University of Karachi Syndicate, the institution’s principal executive governing body.

His senior administrative position appears to be the basis for assigning him responsibility for routine university matters during the acting VC’s absence.

Is Dr Haris Shoaib the New Acting VC?

Based on the public information available, not formally.

This is the most important correction to the wording of the original report.

The source headline says Karachi University has replaced one temporary VC with another temporary VC.

But the available reporting itself states that Dr Haris Shoaib has been assigned responsibility for “day-to-day affairs.”

Meanwhile, Karachi University’s official website continues to list Muhammad Tufail as Acting Vice Chancellor.

Therefore, unless the Sindh government or university issues a separate notification appointing Haris Shoaib as acting vice chancellor, the more precise description is:

Haris Shoaib is temporarily overseeing routine administrative work while Acting VC Muhammad Tufail is abroad.

That distinction avoids implying that the Sindh government has formally made another vice-chancellor appointment.

Why Does Karachi University Have an Acting VC?

The temporary leadership arrangement began after Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi completed his four-year permanent term in July 2026.

The Sindh government did not extend his tenure.

Instead, it gave NED University Vice Chancellor Muhammad Tufail additional responsibility for Karachi University until a permanent replacement could be appointed.

Reports at the time said the government considered either assigning charge to Karachi University’s senior-most professor or to the vice chancellor of the nearest public university.

The latter option was selected, resulting in Tufail taking additional charge.

Permanent VC Selection Process Is Already Advanced

The process for appointing a permanent Karachi University vice chancellor began well before the latest temporary arrangement.

A search committee interviewed more than 40 candidates in July 2026.

Three candidates were subsequently shortlisted for the permanent position.

At that stage, the three names were expected to move through security clearance and then to the Sindh chief minister for final consideration.

Dawn reported on July 28 that the permanent appointment process was nearly complete, with security clearance of the three shortlisted candidates underway.

More recent reporting says the summary containing the three names has since reached the Chief Minister’s House, but no final appointment had been announced by October 1.

Who Has the Authority to Appoint Karachi University’s VC?

Under the University of Karachi’s governing law as amended in Sindh, the vice chancellor is appointed by the Chief Minister of Sindh from candidates recommended through the prescribed selection process.

A Sindh High Court order discussing Section 13 of the University of Karachi Act explains that the search process produces a panel of three candidates, from which the competent authority appoints the vice chancellor.

This means the final permanent appointment depends on completion of the provincial government’s selection and approval process.

Karachi University Admissions 2027 Are Already Underway

The timing of the temporary leadership arrangement is particularly relevant because Karachi University has already opened its 2027 admissions cycle.

The university’s official admissions portal currently lists Admissions 2027 as open and provides separate information for:

• Test-based admissions
• Open-merit admissions
• Doctor of Pharmacy
• Visual Studies
• International students

The university’s main website also prominently displays that applications for the 2027 academic year are open.

According to the reports, entry tests for several disciplines are scheduled for October 11, while open-merit admissions are expected to begin on the same date.

Why Does the Timing Matter?

University admissions involve considerably more than accepting online applications.

During a major admission cycle, the administration may need to oversee:

• Entry-test arrangements
• Examination centres
• Candidate verification
• Security
• Merit-list preparation
• Admission complaints
• Fee procedures
• Coordination between faculties
• Regulatory decisions

Senior university administrators may also be required to respond quickly if procedural disputes or technical problems emerge.

The temporary delegation does not necessarily mean admissions will be disrupted.

Karachi University has an established Registrar’s Office, Directorate of Admissions, faculties and administrative structure that continues operating independently of the vice chancellor’s physical presence.

Its official directory identifies Dr Saima Akhter as In-charge of the Directorate of Admissions and Prof Dr Imran Ahmad Siddiqui as Registrar.

Still, the timing makes the continuing absence of a permanent VC more noticeable.

University Has a Large Administrative Structure

Karachi University describes itself as one of Pakistan’s largest public-sector universities.

Its official website lists:

• A 1,279-acre campus
• Nine faculties
• 53 academic departments
• Numerous research institutes

The university’s administration operates through the vice chancellor, Registrar’s Office, Syndicate and numerous academic and administrative directorates.

This means daily operations are distributed across a large institutional structure rather than depending entirely on one office.

Nevertheless, the vice chancellor remains the principal executive and academic officer and chairs important statutory bodies.

Acting Arrangements Are Meant to Keep Operations Running

Temporary charge arrangements are not unusual when the head of a university is unavailable.

A senior dean or other authorised academic administrator may be assigned routine responsibilities so that files, approvals and administrative decisions do not stop during the absence.

The significant issue in Karachi University’s case is not simply that a senior dean is covering routine affairs for 20 days.

It is that this temporary arrangement is taking place inside another temporary arrangement.

Tufail himself is already serving at Karachi University on an additional-charge basis while remaining VC of NED University.

This creates multiple layers of interim administration while the permanent selection process remains unresolved.

Previous VC Khalid Iraqi Served Until July

Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi had led Karachi University for several years before leaving the post.

Dawn reported that he first became acting vice chancellor in 2019 and was appointed permanent VC in 2022.

His four-year term ended on July 27, 2026.

Tufail took over additional charge the following day pending selection of a regular vice chancellor.

The Sindh government therefore knew by July that a permanent appointment would be required.

More Than 40 Candidates Were Interviewed

The selection process attracted substantial interest.

Express Tribune reported that the search committee interviewed more than 40 candidates over four days before preparing a shortlist of three names.

That indicates the recruitment exercise itself has already progressed through most of the competitive evaluation stage.

The remaining process appears to involve government-level clearance and final selection.

The identities of the final three candidates were not confirmed in the public sources reviewed by Info-Matix, so they should not be presented as fact based on speculation.

What Does “Additional Charge” Mean?

Additional charge allows an official already holding one position to temporarily perform the duties of another.

Muhammad Tufail therefore remains Vice Chancellor of NED University while simultaneously holding the additional position of Acting Vice Chancellor at Karachi University.

NED University independently confirms his substantive role as its current VC.

Karachi University separately identifies him as its acting VC.

This differs from appointing a full-time permanent vice chancellor dedicated exclusively to Karachi University.

Does Temporary Leadership Automatically Affect Academic Quality?

There is no evidence in the available reporting that the temporary arrangement has already caused academic disruption.

Classes, admissions, examinations and administrative functions are managed through multiple university departments.

It would therefore be speculative to claim that the foreign trip itself will damage academic quality.

The governance concern is narrower: prolonged reliance on temporary leadership can leave some major institutional decisions waiting for a permanent officeholder, depending on the powers delegated under the relevant rules.

Large issues such as long-term strategy, major appointments, budget priorities and institutional reform can require sustained executive leadership.

Karachi University Still Lists Muhammad Tufail as Acting VC

As of the latest check, Karachi University’s public administration page states:

Prof Dr Muhammad Tufail — Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Karachi.

The official university directory contains the same designation.

This is why describing the latest change as a formal replacement of one temporary VC by another is potentially misleading.

The available evidence instead supports describing Dr Haris Shoaib as the senior academic assigned to handle routine affairs during Tufail’s temporary absence.

NED Also Has a Temporary Arrangement During the Trip

The foreign visit affects NED University as well.

Because Tufail is NED’s permanent vice chancellor, the institution also needs leadership coverage while he is travelling.

Reports say NED Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Noman Ahmed has been assigned temporary charge there.

NED’s official organisational structure confirms Noman Ahmed as Pro-Vice Chancellor.

This highlights the practical complexity of one university vice chancellor simultaneously holding additional responsibility for another major public university.

What Happens When Tufail Returns?

Unless the Sindh government appoints Karachi University’s permanent vice chancellor before then, Muhammad Tufail would be expected to resume normal day-to-day leadership under his existing additional-charge arrangement after returning from the academic trip.

Haris Shoaib’s temporary responsibility would therefore be expected to end when Tufail resumes duties, unless another official notification changes the arrangement.

The greater uncertainty concerns the permanent VC appointment.

A shortlist already exists, meaning the government does not need to restart the entire recruitment process unless an unexpected legal or administrative issue arises.

What Happens to the Permanent VC Appointment?

The next significant development will be a decision on one of the three shortlisted candidates.

The reported process has already included:

1. Advertisement of the position.
2. Applications from candidates.
3. Interviews of more than 40 applicants.
4. Shortlisting of three candidates.
5. Security-clearance procedures.
6. Submission of the panel toward the Chief Minister’s Office.

The remaining key step is the final appointment by the competent provincial authority.

No publicly confirmed date for that decision was available when this article was prepared.

Why a Permanent VC Matters

A permanent vice chancellor normally has a defined tenure and clear institutional authority.

That can provide continuity in areas such as:

• Academic planning
• Faculty recruitment
• Research priorities
• Budget management
• Campus development
• Student policies
• International partnerships
• Long-term institutional reform

An acting or additional-charge arrangement primarily ensures that the university continues functioning until the normal appointment process is completed.

Temporary leadership is therefore useful as a continuity mechanism but is not intended to substitute indefinitely for a permanent selection process.

Important Correction to the Original Headline

The source headline states:

“Karachi University Replaces Temporary VC With Another Temporary VC.”

The underlying report, however, does not establish that Haris Shoaib has formally been appointed vice chancellor.

Instead, it says he has been given responsibility for day-to-day affairs during Tufail’s trip.

Karachi University’s own website still names Tufail as Acting Vice Chancellor.

For Info-Matix, a more precise headline is therefore:

“Karachi University Gives Temporary Charge to Pharmacy Dean as Acting VC Travels Abroad.”

This preserves the news value without overstating Haris Shoaib’s formal designation.

Bottom Line

The University of Karachi will temporarily have its routine administrative affairs overseen by Faculty of Pharmacy Dean Prof Dr Muhammad Haris Shoaib while Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Tufail undertakes a roughly 20-day academic visit to the United States, Canada and Sri Lanka.

The arrangement comes at an important time because Karachi University’s Admissions 2027 programme is already open, with entry tests and additional admissions activity scheduled during October.

However, the latest change should not be described as the formal appointment of another acting vice chancellor.

Karachi University continues to publicly list Muhammad Tufail as Acting Vice Chancellor, while Haris Shoaib has reportedly been given responsibility for day-to-day matters during his absence.

The broader issue remains unresolved: Karachi University still does not have a permanent vice chancellor despite a search committee already interviewing more than 40 candidates and shortlisting three names.

Until the Sindh government completes that process, Pakistan’s largest public universities will continue relying on an additional-charge arrangement for Karachi University’s top executive position.