Appointment of IIUI president: IHC issues notices

The Islamabad High Court Friday issued notices to the secretary president of Pakistan and other respondents in a petition challenging the appointment of President International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI). A single bench of IHC heard a petition challenging the appointment of president IIUI and issued notices to secretary president of Pakistan, chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC), rector IIUI and President IIUI Dr Darweish, directing them for reply within two weeks.
Petitioner Sajid Mahmood, who moved the court through his counsel Khawar Ameer Bukhari, stated the charges of illegal appointment, nepotism, corruption and misuse of powers by Dr Ahmed Yousaf Al Darweish. He maintained that Dr Darweish has spoiled overall culture of the institute during his six years tenure, which is illegal as Board of Trustees can appoint a President for a term not exceeding 4 years. Misusing his powers and influence, he added that Dr Darweish got BS International Relations (IR) degree for his son in violation of all set rules and regulations, whereas his son barely visited Pakistan during his degree.
Bukhari informed the court that Dr Darweish can communicate in Arabic only, which has deprived the faculty and students of opportunity to communicate with him. To overcome his weakness, Dr Daweish has appointed a number of interpreters and these interpreters are running university affairs as per their own whims and wishes. The counsel contended that by no stretch of imagination, Darweish is an international academician, and does not demonstrate even average level research track record and he does not understand any international languages except his mother language Arabic. President being the chief executive officer of the university is largely unable to communicate with students, teachers and other university employees.
Dr Darweish does not fulfill the minimum 15 years of teaching and research experience, minimum 15 research publications in HEC recognized journals of research, and PhD from any HEC recognized national or international institution, which are the minimum criteria for the appointment of a professor by HEC. Mentioning the irregularities of Dr Darweish, the petitioner said that the president of IIUI constructed a building (commonly known as Khaima) at IRD Guest House, which is land of the government as well as the university, and no permission or approval was obtained from Board of Governors of IIUI for this purpose.
The contract of this construction was given to a contractor without following GoP rules, source for financing for its construction is also unknown, and finances received for its construction were never put on IIUI's finance department record. This makes the whole process dubious and criminal in nature. He has been living at illegally constructed Khaima at IRD Guest House for the last many years. This has made it difficult for the university teachers and employees to use the guesthouse for social purposes due to unnecessary luxurious life style and heavily deployed security there.