Disgruntled staff: All is not well at Islamic university
Over 38 petitions filed in IHC by faculty, employees.
Over 38 petitions filed in IHC by faculty, employees. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Educational institutions are supposed to be a bastion of knowledge and inspiration rather than a hub for politics and mudslinging.
International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) has become a hotbed for controversy in recent years as over 38 writ petitions have been filed by its employees in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Not a single week goes by without an employee from the varsity appearing before the court in connection with nearly two dozen cases.
Currently over 12,000 students are enrolled in the university, out of which around 5,500 are women. In addition, around 2,000 students are enrolled in the Iqra Technical Centre, a constituent unit of the university.
“The management of the varsity will say this is just politics but the reality is that forums like board of governors, the academic council and the rector’s office are dysfunctional,” said a professor on the condition of anonymity.
It has been more than a year since the university has had a permanent rector as the charge is with acting rector Masoom Yasinzai. Recently, the IHC reinstated the vice president whose appointment was challenged by the University Staff Welfare Association (USWA).
Some 84 professors and assistant professors approached the court a few months ago when they were ‘deprived of incentives and allowances by the university’ after Rs10,000 were cut from their salaries.
We had been ignored by the rector and the vice president and had to go to court, said some of the professors speaking anonymously.
The court directed the varsity management to continue the allowance but the varsity did not comply with the court’s orders.
“Where do we go when educational institutions become a battleground between management and staff,” said one of the 84 petitioners. USWA members said the university does not follow court orders and ignores employees’ problems.
“The SC ordered that all superannuated people at administrative positions be removed but the university has done nothing to remove 18 people still working at IIUI,” said one of the members on condition of anonymity. The IIUI president has a language barrier which is another hurdle in resolving faculty’s issues, he added.
Officers Welfare Association President Raja Munir Ahmed, whose group is said to be ‘pro-management”, downplayed the staff’s problems, saying “they are blown out of proportion.” I don’t know the number of petitions but our problems are addressed and there is no issue of mismanagement, he said.
Rector Masoom Yasinzai and Vice-President Sahibzada Sajidur Rehman could not be reached for their comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2013.
Educational institutions are supposed to be a bastion of knowledge and inspiration rather than a hub for politics and mudslinging.
International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) has become a hotbed for controversy in recent years as over 38 writ petitions have been filed by its employees in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Not a single week goes by without an employee from the varsity appearing before the court in connection with nearly two dozen cases.
Currently over 12,000 students are enrolled in the university, out of which around 5,500 are women. In addition, around 2,000 students are enrolled in the Iqra Technical Centre, a constituent unit of the university.
“The management of the varsity will say this is just politics but the reality is that forums like board of governors, the academic council and the rector’s office are dysfunctional,” said a professor on the condition of anonymity.
It has been more than a year since the university has had a permanent rector as the charge is with acting rector Masoom Yasinzai. Recently, the IHC reinstated the vice president whose appointment was challenged by the University Staff Welfare Association (USWA).
Some 84 professors and assistant professors approached the court a few months ago when they were ‘deprived of incentives and allowances by the university’ after Rs10,000 were cut from their salaries.
We had been ignored by the rector and the vice president and had to go to court, said some of the professors speaking anonymously.
The court directed the varsity management to continue the allowance but the varsity did not comply with the court’s orders.
“Where do we go when educational institutions become a battleground between management and staff,” said one of the 84 petitioners. USWA members said the university does not follow court orders and ignores employees’ problems.
“The SC ordered that all superannuated people at administrative positions be removed but the university has done nothing to remove 18 people still working at IIUI,” said one of the members on condition of anonymity. The IIUI president has a language barrier which is another hurdle in resolving faculty’s issues, he added.
Officers Welfare Association President Raja Munir Ahmed, whose group is said to be ‘pro-management”, downplayed the staff’s problems, saying “they are blown out of proportion.” I don’t know the number of petitions but our problems are addressed and there is no issue of mismanagement, he said.
Rector Masoom Yasinzai and Vice-President Sahibzada Sajidur Rehman could not be reached for their comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2013.