By Khalid Khokhar
The Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan (MNSUAM) has been without a regular Vice Chancellor for over a year, leaving the institution in a state of administrative paralysis. Despite the Punjab government’s sincere efforts to maintain stability, the university is now caught in a web of judicial delays and frivolous litigation.
What was once Pakistan’s fastest-growing agricultural university now risks stagnation due to prolonged legal battles. Farmers, students, and faculty—who rely on MNSUAM for knowledge, technology, and innovation—are left in uncertainty as repeated adjournments stall the appointment process.
Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, and farmers are more than just cultivators—they are key stakeholders in agricultural education, research, and policymaking. A robust agricultural university system is not just for academic excellence but for ensuring food security, economic stability, and technological advancement in the sector.
Historically, agricultural education, research, and extension services were interconnected under the “Lyallpur Modelâ€, introduced in 1906 in the Indo-Pak subcontinent. However, in 1962, Pakistan split this system, forming West Pakistan Agriculture University (now UAF) for education and Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) for research and a separate extension wing. Meanwhile, India retained the Lyallpur Model, where agricultural universities remain central to farmer education, seed development, and extension services. As a result, Indian farmers have flourished with direct access to modern technology and research, while Pakistani farmers struggle with fragmented institutions and more so with unending litigations.
Recognizing the need for a strong agricultural university in South Punjab, former Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif established MNSUAM. By 2016-17, the university informally revived the Lyallpur Model, integrating education, research, and extension services and making it homely for the farmers and agro-industry.
In 2023, then-Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, along with cabinet members, held a high-level session at MNSUAM, reaffirming role of agricultural universities as a center of excellence for research, technology transfer, and industry collaboration. The university quickly gained the confidence of farmers, agro-industries, and policymakers, positioning itself as a crucial hub for knowledge-driven agricultural growth in South Punjab.
However, today, MNSUAM is suffering—due to judicial indecision on the appointment of its Vice Chancellor.
Farmers across Punjab appreciate Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for appointing Vice Chancellors of three agricultural universities in the Punjab. The Vice Chancellors at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) and the University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi (UAAR), have joined but the farmers of the South Punjab are still suffering from frivolous ligation delays for appointment of Regular Vice Chancellor of Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan.
Surprisingly, the eligibility criteria and Search Committee were the same for the three universities. Two of them, UAF and UAAR, now have their Vice Chancellors, and MNSUAM remains entangled in judicial stays and adjournments. If two universities under identical circumstances received timely appointments, why is MNSUAM left in limbo? The prolonged legal battle is not just an administrative issue, it is a direct threat to the future of agricultural research and education in the South Punjab.
The absence of a Vice Chancellor is crippling MNSUAM’s governance, research and development projects, and student programs. The stakeholders— students, faculty members, farmers, and industry partners—cannot afford further delays. As a representative of the farming community, I humbly appeal to The Honourable Chief Justice of Lahore High Court and The Punjab Bar Council to intervene and ensure a swift resolution. It is imperative that the courts decide on merit and in the best interests of the institution and the public. Prolonged delays serve no one—they weaken governance, disrupt progress, and hinder Pakistan’s agricultural future. I raise my voice on behalf of the farmers to uphold institutional integrity and ensure the prosperity of South Punjab’s agricultural community—justice must not be delayed any longer.
