MULTAN City News

BZU teacher becomes rolling stone between two depts

Varsity additional registrar says faculty member is absent since Jan 7

From Nadeem Shah

MULTAN: A senior faculty member of the Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) has become a rolling stone after his transfer from one department to another as the former allegedly refused to issue him a relieving letter, The News learnt here.

According to the documents, the then BZU vice-chancellor transferred Prof Dr Ishaq Fani from the Department of Pakistan Studies to the newly-established Institute of Social Sciences in 2013 vide office order No PF/215-16/Admin/11311 as the Distance Learning Programme director. The university syndicate in its meeting on December 27-28, 2013 also approved his transfer. Later, the university syndicate in its meeting on September 19, 2015 abolished the post of Prof Dr Ishaq Fani in the Department of Pakistan Studies and he was permanently absorbed in the Institute of Social Sciences on the recommendations of the BZU Finance Department to reduce expenses.

On January 1, 2016, the BZU through a notification vide No PF/21/5-16/Admin/1050 repatriated services of Prof Dr Ishaq Fani from the Institute of Social Sciences to the Department of Pakistan Studies. However, no relieving order has still been issued to him, making him a rolling stone between the two departments. Finally, his salary for the month of October has been stopped for being absent. Surprisingly, the senior professor has been drawing his salary since January.

However, the university record shows that Prof Fani was not absent since January last as the Institute of Social Sciences has received an application from him on March 1, seeking a three-day casual leave because of the illness of his brother Muhammad Asghar.

When contacted, Prof Fani claimed that he had taught the second semester classes till March 20, 2016. Later, his successor Institute of Social Sciences Director Prof Dr Ayaz Rana took back those classes from him, he added. He further claimed that he had requested Prof Ayaz Rana to issue him a relieving report but he allegedly refused, saying that he should contact the Registrar Office in this regard.

To it, he contacted the Registrar Office thrice on April 27, July 1 and August 24, 2016 to get relieving orders, but to no avail.

Department of Pakistan Studies Chairman Prof Dr Javed Akhtar vide his letter No 769/PS-16 dated November 3, 2016 confirmed that Prof Fani had repeatedly approached him for joining but he regretfully refused him as he failed to produce a relieving letter. He, however, allowed him to join his duties on November 1 under the restriction that he would submit his relieving report in seven days.

Institute of Social Sciences Director Prof Dr Ayaz Rana rejected the claims of Prof Fani, saying that he did not approach him for a single time for seeking a relieving letter. Prof Ayaz claimed that Prof Fani left the department without handing over the charge to him. He said that he assumed the charge of his office on January 7. He further claimed that Prof Fani had been absent from duty without any leave or permission from the competent authority.

BZU Registrar Prof Dr Mutahir Iqbal rejected the claim of Prof Fani that he had applied for a relieving letter. He said that handing/taking over charge of the department was part of the relieving letter, which had not been done.

Meanwhile, BZU Additional Registrar Muhammad Zubair Ahmad, in his letter vide No PF/21/5-16/Admin/11365 to the university treasurer, said that the BZU vice-chancellor had ordered withholding salary of Prof Fani with immediate effect till the decision on his absence from duty since January 7.

BZU Registrar Dr Mutahir Iqbal issued a notification No PF/21/5-16/Admin/11366 on the same day, stating that the BZU vice-chancellor had appointed Dean Faculty of Pharmacy Prof Dr Bashir Ahmad as the inquiry officer to probe the absence of Prof Fani from duty and directed him to submit the report till November 15.