Serious allegations of nepotism surface against KUST VC

PESHAWAR: Serious allegations of nepotism and favoritism have surfaced against Dr Naseeruddin, the acting Vice Chancellor of Kohat University of Science & Technology (KUST).

It has been reported that Dr Naseeruddin allegedly manipulated the selection process to favour his close associate, Dr Faridullah Khan, for the position of Professor in Education (BPS-21).

However, Vice-Chancellor Dr Naseeruddin informed this correspondent that Dr Faridullah’s promotion was carried out according to rules, with all committee members providing their evaluations. He further stated that the allegations were baseless and malicious. He claimed that all the members were in agreement and had recommended the promotion.

Nevertheless, the Higher Education Department (HEC) spokesperson, denying the claim, stated that they had neither attended the meeting nor signed any documents. The representative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission also highlighted the irregularity.

According to sources, Dr Naseeruddin awarded marks to Dr Faridullah Khan in three different capacities – as Vice Chancellor, Dean and Chairman of the department – to ensure his selection. This blatant misuse of authority has raised significant concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of the selection process. The incident has drawn widespread attention and prompted calls for a thorough investigation. Stakeholders are demanding immediate action to ensure meritocracy and transparency in the university’s administrative procedures.

Moreover, Dr Imran Ali, who served as the secretary of the selection board, is also under scrutiny. As per the rules, the secretary is not authorised to award marks to candidates.

However, it has been observed that he, too, played a role in favoring Dr Faridullah Khan. This irregularity was highlighted by Laiq Zaman, a representative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission, who noted these discrepancies in his official remarks. He further wrote that under no circumstances can the secretary give marks to the candidate.

Furthermore, Dr Imran Ali was appointed as Registrar from the teaching cadre, exceeding the permissible tenure of three months as outlined in Section 13 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act. His illegal appointment, which began on July 1, 2024, was recently annulled by the Peshawar High Court on September 18, 2024. Notably, the selection board meeting, where these irregularities occurred, was held on August 22, 2024 during his controversial tenure.

Speaking anonymously, some teachers expressed their concerns to this correspondent, urging higher authorities to take immediate notice of this incident and initiate an impartial inquiry to uphold the integrity of the selection process at KUST.