Abbottabad university: Court stays appointment of pro VC

Petitioner said education dept did not consult varsity on recommended person

Abbottabad University of Science and Technology. PHOTO COURTESY: DR AYUB JADOON

ABBOTTABAD:
The court of an Abbottabad sessions judge has stayed the appointment of a pro vice chancellor for Abbottabad University of Science and Technology (AUST) on Thursday.

Pro VC is a post that has recently been created. The person on the post would have all the powers of a VC until the appointment of one.

Notices were issued to the chief minister, governor, higher education minister and officials of the Higher Education Department (HED) and they were asked to submit their responses by May 20.

Advocate Muhammad Ali Khan told the court he filed a suit with the court of Additional Sessions Judge II, Abbottabad on Wednesday on behalf of his client Dr Ayub Jadoon, who is the registrar of AUST.

Muhammad Ali said Jadoon has challenged the HED’s decision on the appointment of a pro VC.


Jadoon’s counsel said HED had asked AUST in February to recommend the names of three senior teachers of AUST for the post of pro VC. However, HED did not consult the AUST administration and recommended the name of Dr Azhar Sher Kheli, chairperson of the pharmacy department of AUST, for the post.

Muhammad Ali added HED did so purely on political grounds as there were some other teachers who were much more senior than Sher Kheli who could be potentially eligible for the post.

According to the advocate, Sher Kheli was already a plaintiff in another case on the appointment of lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors and professors.

After hearing the arguments, the judge, Abdul Baseer Khan, said the case would be heard on May 20. He also sent notices to the governor, CM’s adviser on higher education and HED officials for their replies over the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2016.
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