Acting University of Peshawar VC accused of violating rules

PESHAWAR: The University of Peshawar (UoP)’s acting Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohammad Abid has made drastic changes in the varsity’s administration in violation of relevant laws and against the mandate of an acting head.

According to reliable sources, UoP Registrar Dr Fazle Hadi was on Tuesday transferred and posted against an already filled position of director Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC). The incumbent director Azhar Afridi was downgraded as manager of the same office.

Interestingly, Dr Zulfiqar Ali, an assistant professor in BS-19 was posted as registrar against a BS-20 position. The Universities Act strictly prohibits appointment of teachers against administrative positions.

According to the act, the syndicate is the right forum to replace or terminate a regular registrar that too on the grounds of allegations of gross misconduct, inefficiency, corruption, moral turpitude or physical or mental incapacity. 

Moreover, deputy registrar legal Aimal Khan was appointed as deputy director works, a position that needs to be filled with a technical person or an engineer.Aimal Khan is a law graduate and is not relevant for the position by any means.

Similarly, the deputy registrar establishment, a BS-18 officer, has been transferred as assistant provost and assigned the duty of assistant curator, which is BS-14 position.The sources said that the acting vice-chancellor, who has a political background, has started pursuing personal and organizational agenda.

There were reports that a retired professor Dr Amir Nawaz Khan and retired registrar Shireenzada Khattak remained in the committee room of the vice-chancellor’s secretariat and reportedly advised the acting vice-chancellor with regard to the changes in the administration.

Reached on telephone for his comments, acting Vice-Chancellor Dr Abid defended his action as it was his right being the vice-chancellor to develop his own team for smooth functioning of the university.

However, he forgot to mention that he had been assigned the duty on temporary basis till the appointment of the regular vice-chancellor and the chancellor has already issued strict directives for acceleration of the process of appointment.

The academic and search committee for the appointment of vice-chancellors has shortlisted candidates for the position of vice-chancellors of nine public sector universities and the final interview is expected soon. Some 71 candidates have been shortlisted for these positions.

Dr Abid was of the opinion that he had the right to appoint a teacher against the administrative position for three months. He said he was not pursuing any personal or party agenda and he didn’t follow the suggestions of retired officials.