FUUAST teachers demand action against ‘corrupt’ VC
The VC, Dr Zafar Iqbal, has obtained five stay orders against inquiries initiated against him.
KARACHI:
Teachers at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology (Fuuast) have demanded the vice-chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal to accept the decision of the university's senate that had unanimously resolved to send him on a three-month forced leave to ensure an impartial inquiry into several charges of corruption and mismanagement.
At a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, senior professors and teachers' representatives who came out against their vice-chancellor included Dr Sulaiman D Muhammad, Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan, Prof Seema Naz Siddiqui, Prof Syed Nasir Abbas and Prof Najamul Arifeen.
"Since the appointment of Dr Iqbal as the vice chancellor in February 2013, rampant corruption has become institutionalised in the university, which is now facing an existential crisis," said Dr Muhammad. "Consequently, the academic and research activities have been totally paralysed, putting the future of the university, which has over 13,000 students enrolled, at stake." The teachers alleged that the vice-chancellor had blatantly used his official position for personal advantage and monetary benefits.
The teachers maintained that the vice-chancellor, registrar, treasurer and various other retired officials - who had been hired on lucrative contracts in violation of the rules of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) - were involved in financial corruption.
The teachers cited the examples of financial corruption of Rs150 million at the varsity's Islamabad campus, the scandal of Rs39.6 million on account of security services at the Karachi and Faisalabad campuses as well as the scandal of Rs4 million on account of wire cables in the Karachi campus.
In order to accumulate money for personal gains, added Dr Muhammad, the vice chancellor had established illegal sub-campuses of the university in Lahore and Faisalabad through public-private partnership. "These campuses were established in sheer violation of statutory rules and directions of the HEC and this step compelled the Pakistan Bar Council to de-affiliate the university's law faculty," he said.
For the appointments of university's registrar, treasurer and examinations controller, maintained the teachers, the posts were advertised in the national press. However, Dr Iqbal had directly appointed the three key administrative officials without following the due process of recruitment. "No selection board was ever constituted despite announcing the posts in various national newspapers," said Dr Muhammad.
This meeting of the senate held on December 20, 2014 at the President House in Islamabad, he added, resolved unanimously to send Dr Iqbal on forced leave and to terminate the registrar Dr Fahim Uddin with immediate effect to ensure an impartial inquiry without possible influence of the current management.
"However, Dr Iqbal, who was already hiding behind the four stay orders issued by the Sindh High Court, had received another stay order by a division court against his forced leave," said Dr Muhammad.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2014.
Teachers at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology (Fuuast) have demanded the vice-chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal to accept the decision of the university's senate that had unanimously resolved to send him on a three-month forced leave to ensure an impartial inquiry into several charges of corruption and mismanagement.
At a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, senior professors and teachers' representatives who came out against their vice-chancellor included Dr Sulaiman D Muhammad, Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan, Prof Seema Naz Siddiqui, Prof Syed Nasir Abbas and Prof Najamul Arifeen.
"Since the appointment of Dr Iqbal as the vice chancellor in February 2013, rampant corruption has become institutionalised in the university, which is now facing an existential crisis," said Dr Muhammad. "Consequently, the academic and research activities have been totally paralysed, putting the future of the university, which has over 13,000 students enrolled, at stake." The teachers alleged that the vice-chancellor had blatantly used his official position for personal advantage and monetary benefits.
The teachers maintained that the vice-chancellor, registrar, treasurer and various other retired officials - who had been hired on lucrative contracts in violation of the rules of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) - were involved in financial corruption.
The teachers cited the examples of financial corruption of Rs150 million at the varsity's Islamabad campus, the scandal of Rs39.6 million on account of security services at the Karachi and Faisalabad campuses as well as the scandal of Rs4 million on account of wire cables in the Karachi campus.
In order to accumulate money for personal gains, added Dr Muhammad, the vice chancellor had established illegal sub-campuses of the university in Lahore and Faisalabad through public-private partnership. "These campuses were established in sheer violation of statutory rules and directions of the HEC and this step compelled the Pakistan Bar Council to de-affiliate the university's law faculty," he said.
For the appointments of university's registrar, treasurer and examinations controller, maintained the teachers, the posts were advertised in the national press. However, Dr Iqbal had directly appointed the three key administrative officials without following the due process of recruitment. "No selection board was ever constituted despite announcing the posts in various national newspapers," said Dr Muhammad.
This meeting of the senate held on December 20, 2014 at the President House in Islamabad, he added, resolved unanimously to send Dr Iqbal on forced leave and to terminate the registrar Dr Fahim Uddin with immediate effect to ensure an impartial inquiry without possible influence of the current management.
"However, Dr Iqbal, who was already hiding behind the four stay orders issued by the Sindh High Court, had received another stay order by a division court against his forced leave," said Dr Muhammad.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2014.