Coveted positions: Sindh University embroiled, yet again, in an internal rift over post

Former registrar says that he was appointed as Pro-VC but university refutes his claims.

HYDERABAD:

The ongoing power politics at the Sindh University has yet again plunged the province’s second largest higher education institution in a quagmire. This time around, however, it is not the teachers against the vice chancellor, but the top administrative officials flying barbs over securing positions of authority.

The former registrar, Nawaz Narejo, who stood by the beleaguered Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Nazir Mughal last year, is now up in arms against him. The apparent bone of contention is the former’s desire to acquire the post of Pro-VC at the main campus while the latter is opposed to it. Narejo, who is currently working in the capacity of advisor planning and development at the varsity, tried to occupy the office of Pro-VC on Friday. But his attempt was reportedly foiled by Dr Mughal and current registrar Ghulam Mohammad Bhutto.

Strong allegations

At a press conference in Hyderabad on Saturday, Narejo claimed that the Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan appointed him as the Pro-VC through an order dated August 16.  “But Dr Mughal is demanding Rs4 million as bribe for allowing me to assume the charge,” he alleged. “I asked him how could I pay such a huge amount - my one-year salary is just Rs1.4 million!”

The SU has a total of nine posts of the Pro-VC - eight for its campuses in various districts and one for the main campus. Three posts of the Pro-VC, however, are lying vacant - Sukkur and Malir campuses are not functional while the main campus seat has been vacant for the last six months.

Narejo went on to regret his role when he acted in defence of Dr Mughal and against the SU Teachers Association, who successfully led a movement for Dr Mughal’s removal from January to June, 2012. Narejo, at that time, had been blamed for providing private guards to the vice-chancellor from his community in order to frighten the teachers and administrative staff.

Counter arguments 

The university has rejected Narejo’s allegations as absurd and announced of taking action against him for going public against the vice-chancellor and forcefully trying to occupy the office of Pro-VC. “Dr Mughal will bring the matter before the syndicate for action against him,” the spokesperson, Nadir Mugheri, told The Express Tribune. Mugheri also contradicted Narejo’s claim about his appointment as the Pro-VC, saying that the vice-chancellor’s office did not receive any correspondence from the Governor House in this regard. According to him, the Pro-VC post is given to the senior teachers but Narejo has been a career administrative officer.

Teachers Reaction

The SUTA President Dr Arfana Mallah described the ongoing affair as a ‘phoney war’. “Dr Mughal is the root of everything bad happening at the university. Such controversies will keep coming up until he is in the office,” she said. She added that the association has always demanded that the posts of VC and Pro-VC be given to the senior teachers instead of administration’s officials. Sources also claimed that Sindh Education Minister Nisar Khuhro met senior university teachers and assured them that Mughal would be removed from service by September.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2013.