Verdict: UoP ordered to regularise services of eight assistant professors

Counsel says varsity made other staff members permanent, ignored petitioners

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has ordered University of Peshawar to regularise the services of eight assistant professors who completed their PhD from abroad and have been working on ad hoc basis for many years.

The order was issued by a division bench, comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Qaiser Rasheed, on Wednesday. The bench was hearing a writ petition filed by Shumaila Noreen and others through their counsels Ijaz Anwar and Zartaj Anwar.

The counsels said the petitioners had completed their PhD from abroad on higher education commission scholarships. They said the petitioners returned to the country between 2013 and 2014 and were appointed at the university. However, the university administration later regularised services of other staff members and ignored the petitioners.

According to the attorneys, the petitioners approached the high court against the decision. Meanwhile, the university administration informed them they have been hired under the Tenure Track System for three years.

They argued the system was illegal and unconstitutional and requested the bench to regularise the petitioners’ services. After hearing the arguments, the bench accepted the plea and ordered the university to appoint them on a regular basis.

Salary demanded

The same bench also summoned health department secretary to appear before the court in person. It was hearing another petition filed by a social mobiliser of the Mother and Newborn Child Health programme.

The petition was filed by Qaiser Jamal through his counsel Sahibzada Asadullah. The attorney told the court the petitioner has not been paid his salary for six years due to which he was facing immense financial problems.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2016.