LAHORE: Prof Dr Ahmad Shuja, the newly appointed vice chancellor (VC) of the University of Gujrat (UoG), on Tuesday declined to accept the position, citing personal reasons. The Punjab government had appointed seven VCs in public sector universities across the province two days ago. While six of the appointees have assumed their roles, Dr Shuja opted out due to his mother’s serious health condition. In a letter to Governor and Chancellor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Dr Shuja expressed gratitude to the search committee, the chief minister and the chancellor for completing the selection process on merit. He said his mother’s deteriorating health condition over the past few weeks had made it impossible for him to relocate from Islamabad. Medical experts had advised him not to leave his mother alone during this critical period, prompting him to formally decline the appointment. The letter further conveyed Dr Shuja’s intent to avoid delaying the VC selection process at the UoG, ensuring the administration had ample time to find a replacement. Dr Shahid Munir confirmed to Dawn that he had joined the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, as its VC.