IIUI probing into allowances granted to non-academic staff

Grade-17 and above officials misrepresented facts to twice get allowances together

ISLAMABAD: Non-academic staff at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) have apparently received allowances usually reserved for faculty who have at least MS or MPhil degrees.

According to documents, seen by The Express Tribune, an inquiry has been launched by the IIUI to probe violations of the parameters of the allowances.

Teachers with MPhil degrees are entitled to Rs3,750 per month as allowance for a period of five years to pursue their PhDs.

However, according to the probe committee, some non-academic staff in the IIUI had bent the rules and entitled themselves to receive two, ‘permanent’, allowances in one go after allegedly misrepresenting their status before the varsity’s president, rector and Board of Governors.

A non-academic staffer at the varsity was thus getting over Rs6,000 every month, while allowances granted to the staff was costing IIUI as much as Rs641,988 per annum.

But non-academic staff in the IIUI had the varsity’s board sign off on a move in February 2016 which not only allowed certain non-academic staff above  grade-17 to receive two grants, but also had these backdated from as far back as 2009 in some cases.

This irked some of the non-academic staff below grade-17 but with the minimum educational requirements, to demand the allowance as well.

Professor Dr Muhammad Munir, the vice president for higher studies and research and heading the probe committee told The Express Tribune that the probe into the matter was still continuing since they were waiting on some documents which had formed the basis of granting the allowances.

“If the allocations are found in line with the rules, staffers of lower grade may also be allowed to avail the facility, Dr Munir said.

However, if that does not turn out to be the case, then the money would be deducted from the salaries of officers who had been receiving the additional money in violation of rules.

Teachers at the varsity said that the inquiry, where high-ranking administrative officials were being probed, was unprecedented. They added that it exemplified the power of the varsity’s administration.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2017.