Greater ambitions: UoP librarians want to contest for syndicate polls

Say laws define librarians as teachers, hence it is their right to stand for elections

PESHAWAR: Librarians at the University of Peshawar have urged the administration include them in the electoral list for Senate and Syndicate elections of the university. However, authorities say librarians are researchers and cannot partake in the elections.

“The authorities at University of Swabi, Islamia College and University and University of Agriculture have provided rights to librarians at the respective varsities,” UoP Librarians President Janat Naeem told The Express Tribune. “However, librarians at UoP are denied their rights, although we have always been part of the administration.”

As per the Universities Act 2015, two members from the administration can participate in Senate and Syndicate elections. In addition, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act 2012 Section 3 (a) says that a librarian is an official of a university and the same is mentioned in Section 8 (l) of the act as well as in Section 9 (IX) in the University of Peshawar Act 1974.

Senior officials of the varsity said the legislation suggests that research staff is part of the word teacher which includes professors, associate professors, assistant professors, lecturers and research staff, who are all engaged by the university in teaching degree, honours or post-graduate classes.

Since librarians are defined as researchers, they are part of the research staff which comes under the head of teachers and hence they should be allowed to partake in the elections.

While talking to The Express Tribune, UoP Spokesperson Akhtar Amin said a final decision on the issue has yet to be taken.

“The librarians submitted an application in a court, demanding the status of teachers and asking for the exemption of taxes.” He added that the court made a decision in their favour and they were exempt from paying taxes.

The issue has been raised again. However, Amin said the elections have been postponed and the next date has not been decided. “UoP formed a three-member committee over the issue and they will take a decision.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2015.