Denying the disabled: CJ reprimands UVAS dean, officials

Petitioner says his name had been at the top of the merit list.

LAHORE: A dean of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences was admonished by the Lahore High Court on Monday for not giving admission to a disabled student, who was at the top of the merit list.

“Corrupt and idle government officials have destroyed the entire system of the country,” the CJ observed.

Hafiz Syed Muhammad Ammar, a disabled student, had filed the petition in 2007. He submitted that he had secured 817 marks in intermediate (FSc), and had applied for a place at the UVAS.

He said that when the merit list was displayed, his name had been at the top of the list.

However, he said, his name was dropped without giving any reason.

Ammar told the court that he had gone to Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan and completed eight semesters of Diploma in Veterinary Medicine because the case lingered on.

A university dean, Prof Naseem Ahmad, appeared before the court on Monday.

The CJ appeared to be irked and repeatedly asked Ahmad to explain why Ammar’s name was dropped from the list.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed remarked, “I want the resignations of the officers who took a bribe to accommodate candidates they favoured. You have ruined the life of a disabled boy.”

He also reprimanded UVAS officials for being “so cruel”. He said their apathy had forced Ammar to study in a city far from his home. Justice Saeed said that the officials responsible should be sent to jail.

Prof Naseem Ahmad apologised to the chief justice and requested that he be given some time to resolve the matter.

The judge then directed him to find a way to accommodate Ammar in the 10th semester of the diploma course at UVAS.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2012.