Ouster of employees’ body chief: Protest at QAU leaves students stranded

Hassan Shah’s forced retirement for dereliction of duty triggers strikes.

ISLAMABAD:

Drama ensued at the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) on Wednesday, after the forced retirement of the University Employees Association President Hassan Shah a few days back culminated in a protest by students and employees.  

The administration had issued a letter to union president Shah forcing him to retire from service, after he had reportedly been involved in a clash between two groups of employees.

The protesters gathered at the university’s main bus terminal for hours and did not allow shuttles to leave for their destinations, which caused massive disorder as hundreds of students wanting to go home were left stuck on campus.

The university administration claimed that it had earlier formed two inquiry committees to probe into the clash, and both committees had found Shah guilty and recommended action to be taken against him.

The administration then issued show-cause notices to him, to which he did not respond, leading to his forced retirement. Two other daily wage employees, Rafaqat Hussain and Muhammad Javed, were also terminated from service for the same reason.

Protesters demanded the immediate withdrawal of the decision while chanting slogans against the administration. They vowed to assemble a huge gathering on Thursday and threatened to continue the agitation till the withdrawal of the decision.

Addressing the gathering, Hassan Shah said that he was victimised and removed from service for highlighting corruption and other weaknesses of the university administration.

He said that the policies of the present vice chancellor and the registrar have wrecked havoc at the university, with one illogical decision following another.

He said that the university administration are opening new departments and expanding existing ones without arranging for the required manpower and infrastructure, resulting in damage to the overall quality of education.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the university administration read that exercising the powers conferred to him under university rules, the vice chancellor has imposed the major penalty of “compulsory retirement” upon Hassan Shah with effect from 16, December 2011, as the charges of his involvement in political activities, instigating employees and students to strike, disobedience, inefficiency, and lack of interest in his duties had been proven.

According to the charge sheet, Shah was undisciplined, disobedient, irresponsible and received dozens of explanations and warnings throughout his service.

He was also charged after a scuffle occurred in the QAU Transport Unit on December 14 2010, where he was accused of assaulting transport staff with the help of his supporters.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2011.