ICS faculty upset with ‘whistle blower’

Ten faculty members call on the vice chancellor, Dr Mujahid Kamran, and lodged a complaint against Dr Afirah Hamid.

LAHORE: Ten faculty members of the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS), Punjab University (PU), called on the vice chancellor, Dr Mujahid Kamran, and lodged a complaint against Dr Afirah Hamid.

Dr Afirah had written an application to the VC on Thursday saying that she was being harassed by the ICS director, Dr Ahsan Akhtar Naz, and other senior colleagues for highlighting irregularities in the examination and admissions process of MPhil and PhD programmes.

She had demanded, in the application, that the inquiry report be made public and its recommendations implemented.

The inquiry conducted by Dr Ross Masood, a senior faculty member, had found the Behavioural and Social Sciences dean Dr Mugheesuddin Shaikh and Dr Naz guilty of tampering with results and illegally holding special exams.

The inquiry officer had recommended that the two be dismissed immediately.

The group of teachers, who submitted a joint complaint signed by them, told the VC that Dr Afirah was bringing a “bad name” to the institution “by spreading misinformation with malafide intentions”. The complainants warned that they would stop performing duties if Dr Afirah is not stopped from “spreading propaganda against the ICS”, The Express Tribune has learnt.

A copy of the application, available with Tribune states that that Dr Afirah distributed copies of the newspapers carrying stories about the ICS among students.

Further, it says, “We are highly concerned (sic) because it is not only bringing a bad name to the institute but also to the university.”

Talking to The Express Tribune, ICS director Dr Ahsan Akhtar Naz said that he had never discussed faculty problems with students but Dr Afirah was doing so and brining a bad name to the institute. “On Friday, Dr Afirah was distributing the copies of a news story about her ‘harassment’.”

He added that she had given one copy to the mother of a prospective student. When the mother read the story that a faculty member was being harassed here, she was very concerned about her daughter who is going to study here, Dr Naz said.

“A lot of girls study at the institute. How many complaints of harassment have been made? We are here to teach not to harass,” he said.

Dr Naz denied harassing Dr Afirah and said that she was wrong to distribute copies of the paper among students and parents who accompanied their children aspiring to join PU. The ICS director added that the VC had told them that he would meet Dr Afirah and discuss the matter with her. According to Dr Naz, the VC assured the delegation that that no teacher would be allowed to malign other teachers of the varsity.

Talking to Tribune, Dr Afirah Hamid said, “The ICS director is just trying to divert attention from the real issue… I am standing up for the truth. I highlighted the wrongdoings and have no intention to malign the institute.”

She said that the VC should implement the recommendations of the inquiry officer. Also, she demanded that the chief justice take note of the situation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2010.