Rights and wrongs: Reinstate dismissed GCU employees, says APCA

Clerks’ association alleges corruption at varsity

LAHORE: Representatives of the All Pakistan Clerks’ Association (APCA) Government College University (GCU) on Saturday demanded the varsity reinstate dismissed employees and constitute a committee to probe corrupt practices at the varsity.

Speaking to journalists at Lahore Press Club, they threatened to stage a sit-in if their demands were not met. APCA GCU president Khaliq Hussain said the GCU had dismissed three association members without due process.

Hussain accused the varsity administration—including the vice-chancellor—of financial malpractice. He said the APCA members had been dismissed because they had the audacity to raise their concerns before the governor who happened to be the varsity’s chancellor.

Hussain said an additional registrar wanted to get rid of the APCA as it had complained about him to the governor.

He said the dismissals of the APCA members constituted a violation of the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act.

He said an inquiry against those dismissed was spearheaded by an Academic Staff Association (ASA) member who was in cahoots with the additional registrar. Hussain said the APCA had already furnished proof of financial malpractice at GCU before the Chief Minister’s office (CMO), the Governor’s office, Higher Education Department (HED) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He said none of them had taken any action on this account.

The APCA officials implored the governor and the chief minister to take notice of the situation.

Hussain said the APCA would stage a sit-in before the GCU, the CMO and the Provincial Assembly (PA) on May 9 if its demands were not met.

When contacted, GCU Vice Chancellor Hassan Amir Shah told The Express Tribune that a coterie of individuals had been agitating against the varsity’s administration and conspiring to ruin its pacific environment.

He said the individuals had also copied employees’ personal files which among other things had led to complaints against them a few years ago. The VC said the individuals had been dismissed in accordance with the PEEDA Act after a probe was conducted.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2016.