Class of 2013 to take their final exams this month. PHOTO: FILE
According to Dr Ayub Jadoon, coordinator of the university’s Havelian campus, the department was launched in Havelian in 2007, offering a five-year doctorate of pharmacy degree to 80 students. But later, on the instructions of the Central Pharmacy Council, the seats were brought down to 40 and during the last two years the university has been barred from enrolling new students.
Jadoon said the council had raised certain objections pertaining to laboratories as well as the pharmacy, hospital, library and teaching staff which the university has since fulfilled. “Despite this, the council is yet to register the department,” he added.
As the first class of pharmacy students is about to take their final exams this month, the delay in registration has irritated students who have protested over the matter and blocked the Karakoram Highway on several occasions.
Angry students sued the council and demanded their department be registered. “The case is still pending with the Abbottabad bench of the Peshawar High Court,” Jadoon said.
He expressed hope the department would be registered very soon, adding the council was expected to pay another visit to the university.
Jadoon said the department was still lacking an experienced professor with a PhD despite the university advertising the position thrice. “We are hopeful this issue will also be resolved soon,” he added.
Naseerudduin, the secretary for the Central Pharmacy Council in Islamabad was not available for comment. However, Dr Syed Ashah Haleemi, pharmacy department dean at the University of Peshawar and member of the council, confirmed Hazara University’s pharmacy department was yet to receive official recognition. “They formed the department without permission or a no objection certificate (NoC) from the Central Pharmacy Council,” he claimed. “Later the council found several problems in the library, laboratories and hospital. Moreover, there was no supervision from a senior professional with a PhD and 15 years of experience.”
Haleemi added the council would only recognise the qualifications of those students who were enrolled after the university filed an application for registration.
Aside from lacking an experienced PhD faculty member, the university had met all infrastructural requirements and would most probably be given registration during the next visit in September. “Varsities and private institutions offering Pharm-D degrees without a NoC from the council are putting the future of their students at stake as their degrees will have no value. The provincial pharmacy council will issue licenses to only those students whose institutions are recognised.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2013.
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