University tussle: SU faculty and administration resort to petitions and FIRs
Classes suspended at SU, Mehran University and Sindh Agriculture University.
HYDERABAD:
The standoff at the Sindh University between the faculty and its administration dragged on with a series of FIRs and court notices. Meanwhile, classes have not been taking place for more than a month.
The Sindh University Teachers Association (SUTA) responded to the FIR against nine teachers and five other employees by taking the administration and the Sindh government to court.
On Thursday, the petitioner challenged the appointment of the vice chancellor (VC), Nazir A Mughal, in the Sindh High Court at its Hyderabad circuit bench. The bench, comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, issued notices to the chairman of the Higher Education Commission, chancellor of government universities in Sindh, chief secretary, SU’s VC and registrar, for March 6.
According to the petitioner, Mola Bux Sahito, SU terminated Mughal’s service as a lecturer in 1974 and thus, he was not eligible to be vice chancellor.
“The recommendation of the search committee was illegal because the Sindh chief minister was not consulted and the post was not advertised,” argued Sahito’s lawyer, barrister Zamir Ghumro.
This followed another petition filed by the teachers and staff nominated in the FIR.
On Wednesday, the same bench restrained the police from taking action against the teachers as they had complained of raids and harassment. The university has also been restrained from registering further cases until the matter is decided by the court.
SUTA’s Dr Azhar Ali Shah and Arfana Mallah, who were fired by the university’s syndicate, could not win a stay against his sacking. A separate petition was fixed for hearing on March 6.
Classes did not take place at SU, Mehran University, Sindh Agriculture University and Quaid-i-Awam University, Shaheed Benazirabad district. The SU teachers continued their hunger strike at two different camps. Mughal has asked the deans and chairmen of the faculties to teach classes themselves in case the boycott continues.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.
The standoff at the Sindh University between the faculty and its administration dragged on with a series of FIRs and court notices. Meanwhile, classes have not been taking place for more than a month.
The Sindh University Teachers Association (SUTA) responded to the FIR against nine teachers and five other employees by taking the administration and the Sindh government to court.
On Thursday, the petitioner challenged the appointment of the vice chancellor (VC), Nazir A Mughal, in the Sindh High Court at its Hyderabad circuit bench. The bench, comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, issued notices to the chairman of the Higher Education Commission, chancellor of government universities in Sindh, chief secretary, SU’s VC and registrar, for March 6.
According to the petitioner, Mola Bux Sahito, SU terminated Mughal’s service as a lecturer in 1974 and thus, he was not eligible to be vice chancellor.
“The recommendation of the search committee was illegal because the Sindh chief minister was not consulted and the post was not advertised,” argued Sahito’s lawyer, barrister Zamir Ghumro.
This followed another petition filed by the teachers and staff nominated in the FIR.
On Wednesday, the same bench restrained the police from taking action against the teachers as they had complained of raids and harassment. The university has also been restrained from registering further cases until the matter is decided by the court.
SUTA’s Dr Azhar Ali Shah and Arfana Mallah, who were fired by the university’s syndicate, could not win a stay against his sacking. A separate petition was fixed for hearing on March 6.
Classes did not take place at SU, Mehran University, Sindh Agriculture University and Quaid-i-Awam University, Shaheed Benazirabad district. The SU teachers continued their hunger strike at two different camps. Mughal has asked the deans and chairmen of the faculties to teach classes themselves in case the boycott continues.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.