Sindh govt retracts suspension of Sindh University VC

Anti-Corruption Establishment initiated a corruption investigation against Burfat in October 2018

HYDERABAD: The Sindh government seems to have temporarily stepped back from the suspension of Sindh University (SU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat, who was suspended on May 31. He was the first incumbent VC of a public sector university in the province to have been removed from service before the completion of the four-year term by the Sindh chief minister.

Boards and Universities Secretary Muhammad Riazuddin, who appeared before Sindh High Court (SHC) Hyderabad Circuit Bench on Thursday in Burfat's petition, told the court about the withdrawal of the May 31 notification. Burfat had challenged both the May 31 and May 30 notifications in the SHC which provided him interim relief by putting both in abeyance on June 10, enabling him to resume the charge of VC.

The second notification formed a one-member committee under Naheed Shah Durrani, chairperson of planning and development board, to investigate the VC's alleged corruption, misconduct, inefficiency and maladministration. Riazuddin told the court that on Wednesday, a new inquiry committee headed by Durrani was formed to conduct the investigation.

Home Secretary Abdul Kabeer Kazi and Irrigation Additional Secretary Ghulam Ali Brahmani are its members.

"The chief minister is pleased to constitute an inquiry committee to probe the allegations of gross misconduct, inefficiency, corruption, violation of budgetary provisions, moral turpitude, maladministration and mismanagement against Prof Dr Burfat", reads the June 26 notification which gave a month to the committee to submit a report after the probe.

Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) initiated a corruption investigation against Burfat in October, 2018. The ACE checked the SU's bank accounts and the bank statements since Burfat took charge, comparative statements of profit earned from SU's fuel stations before and after Burfat's joining and complete details of the development work in his tenure.

The record of contingency, repair and maintenance expenses; appointments, promotions and postings; budget and expenses of the faculty development programme; details of foreign tours made on SU's money were also reviewed. Burfat on his part contends that he is being framed in the case. He also earlier challenged the mandate of ACE in the SHC for conducting an inquiry against a vice-chancellor.

The SHC on Thursday disposed of Burfat's petition against the May 30 and 31 notifications after the provincial government submitted that both the notifications have been withdrawn.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2019.