LAHORE: Punjab University teachers have strongly criticised a summary signed by the governor and chief minister regarding a three-month stopgap appointment of former vice chancellor Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar as VC with effect from January 15, 2023, while terming it “an absolutely illegal step” and clearly against the ruling of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
PU Academic Staff Association (ASA) secretary Dr Amjad Magsi, Members Syndicate Dr Sardar Asghar Iqbal, Dr Muhammad Islam and executive members ASA of Punjab University Council of Professionals ( PU CoPs) after a meeting at University Club on Sunday issued a statement to denounce this step of the Secretary HED, outgoing Chief Minister and the Governor/ Chancellor regarding the controversial and illegal appointment of a retired VC Dr Niaz Ahmad, who, they said, has already damaged PU financially, academically and administratively during his four year term and a three months additional interim appointment.
“Advertisement for VC has been issued and he is also a candidate, earlier, we approached Lahore High Court and other stakeholders against Dr Niaz’s illegal appointment and we were given assurance that he will not be appointed as stopgap arrangement again,” said Dr Amjad Magsi.
Sardar Asghar Iqbal said that: “if the government still issues appointment notification of Dr Niaz, we will take out protest rallies and approach the court of law.”
The meeting demanded the appointment of the senior-most professor of PU as a stopgap VC to ensure merit in the appointment of a regular VC.
Teachers expressed serious concerns about this height of political manoeuvring and disregard for the senior faculty members of the University. Government should refrain from taking illegal decisions which may damage public institutions further and add to the miseries of higher education sector in the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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