Committee resolution: VCs condemn faculty’s maltreatment

Initiative taken in light of humiliation faced by former VCs at the hands of NAB officials

The vice chancellors of various universities have condemned the maltreatment and public humiliation of respectable professors and teachers.

“We call upon National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman to conduct inquiry against the officials involved in public humiliation of senior professors.

These were points adopted by the vice chancellors in a resolution during a Vice Chancellors’ Committee meeting which was held at the Higher Education Commission Secretariat on Monday.

The resolution was created in light of public humiliation faced by University of Punjab former vice chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran, Sargodha University former vice chancellor Dr Akram Chaudhary and five other officers when they were arrested by NAB officials and brought in court last week. The meeting was chaired by Vice Chancellors’ Committee Chairman Dr Masoom Yasinzai and attended by over 65 vice chancellors from all over the country, mostly through video conference. “We strongly condemn the media trial of teachers before prosecution or legal procedure,” the resolution read.

“We appreciate the Chief Justice Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar for suo moto notice; however a mere apology is not sufficient in the face of humiliation suffered by senior academicians,” it said.

“We propose holding of a meeting between HEC Chairman and NAB Chairman along with a select group of Vice Chancellors to evolve procedures needed to be followed in such cases, the vice chancellors’ resolution further stated,” it added.  “We urge the government to ensure the university autonomy by stopping the external interference,” it said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2018.