International Islamic University: Where age is not a concern

Around 30 senior-level posts taken by people who have crossed the retirement age.


Peer Muhammad December 13, 2010

ISLAMABAD: In violation of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) directives, a number of people are still serving at different senior academic and executive positions at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) despite attaining the retirement age limit.

Earlier, the HEC Chairman, Dr Javed Laghari, had asked the IIUI to make sure that retired persons were not appointed against the senior executive and academic positions.

According to a list made available to the Express Tribune, around 30 people working at top positions in the university have crossed the superannuation age.

These include, Vice-President, Higher Studies and Research, Dr Ishaq Zafar Ansari, Vice-President, Admin and Finance, Parveen Qadir Agha, Dean Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences Dr Ehsanullah Khan, Dean Faculty of Management Sciences Danishmand Khan, Chairman Environmental Science Department Dr Abdul Rauf Farooqi, Dean Faculty of Education Dr A.R. Saghir, Director Strategic Planning Cell Dr Abdul Majeed, Director Planning and Development Sarfraz Mirza and  Director Quality Enhancement Cell Dr Muhammad Riaz.

In a letter written to IIUI President Dr Anwar Siddiqui on November 4, Higher Education Commission chairman said, “Moving forward with an agenda of building reputation and good governance inside our academic institutions, it is important that senior scholars of repute with good administrative experience be appointed as department chairmen as well as deans of faculties”.

The HEC chief has also written in the letter that retired faculty members should not be appointed at academic or other administrative positions.

Out of the superannuated officials, two are working in BPS-22 and their salaries ranges from Rs1,71,000 to Rs475,880.

As many as many 12 officials are working in BPS-21 and drawing salaries ranging from Rs50,000 to Rs300,000. Another five officials are working in BPS-20 and their salary structure is between Rs60,000 to Rs150,000. Similarly, four officials are working in BPS-19 and drawing salary ranging from Rs57000 to Rs110,000. One in BPS-18, while another two in BPS-17 cost from Rs32000 to Rs62,000 to the university.

When contacted, Muzamil Ahmed, a spokesman for IIU, justified such appointments saying that the university’s rules permit to appoint ‘senior experienced’ persons for specific time periods. “This can be done on a need-based premise,” he said.

He further said that the university administration could hire on three different structures, basic pay scale, tenure-track system and on contract basis to meet the requirements.

The contracted employees could be hired for two years in one go and it was further extendable.

The list of officials above 60 years of age

President IIU Dr Anwar Hussain Siddiqui, Parveen Qadier Aga, Dr Zafar Ishaq Insari, Dr Talib Hussain Sial, Prof (Dr) Mumtaz Ahmed, Prof Danishhmand, Dr Ehasanllah Khan, Professor/Dean Dr Muhammad Riaz, Dr Abdul Rauf Farooqi, Professor (Dr) Sakhi Muhammad Bhutta, Dr A Rasheed Amjad, Professor Ghulam Yasin Chohan, Prof (Dr) Muhammad Afzal Khan, Dr Abdul Rashid Karim, Abdul Majid Mirza, Principal. On the administrative front, Director Sarfraz Ahmed Mirza, Senior Consultant Muhammad Yousuf Kaleem, Director Dr Abdul Majeed, Senior Consultant Muhammad Bashir Ghumman,  Consultant Muhammad Asghar, Audit Officer Abdul Ghafar, Program Manager Zafarullah Malik and Assistant Director Sher Bahadur Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2010.

COMMENTS (1)

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan has a shortage of PHds, especially those trained in places like America. If they have the right skillset then where is the logic in replacing them just because of their age? What is the sense in replacing them with someone younger if they don't have the right quallifications but just because of age!
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