Syndicate member of Swabi varsity moves court

PESHAWAR: A member of the Syndicate, University of Swabi, on Monday moved the Peshawar High Court against occupation of three key positions by the Registrar of the university.The petitioner also pleaded against holding of the Syndicate on April 11 as it was being held in violation of the statute and the University Act.Syed Akhtar Ali Shah filed the writ petition through his lawyer Qazi Jawad Ihsanullah.

The petitioner, who is also additional inspector general of police, requested the high court to stop the Syndicate meeting to be held on April 11 as it was going to illegally nominate a member of the Syndicate as member of the Selection Board.

He took the plea that the nomination of one eminent researcher as member of the Selection Board has been mentioned in the Syndicate.The petitioner claimed that the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of the University of Swabi have called a meeting of the Syndicate in violation of the statute and the University Act.

He submitted that the impugned amendments were introduced without jurisdiction and without lawful authority, and the Syndicate meeting has been called to nominate new member of the Selection Board. He argued that this endeavour of the Syndicate is illegal because the petitioner was already nominated as member of the Selection Board on January 13, 2017 for a period of 3 years, and the amendment, on the basis of which the Syndicate proposes to revise the Selection Board would apply prospectively.

The petitioner pleaded that holding of the key administrative positions including registrar of the university, treasurer and focal person for development projects by one Naveed Anjum, an assistant professor Management Science Department, may be declared illegal and in conflict with the parent Act and statutes in order to protect the interest of the nascent university.

The petitioner submitted that the meeting of the Syndicate may be stopped till the decision of the governor/chancellor of the university in the recommendation of the Governor Inspection Team (GIT) in order to stop extra statutory practice in the administrative, academic and financial affairs of the University of Swabi to save it from further degradation.

As per the GIT report, sending Swabi University Vice Chancellor Dr Imtiaz Ali Khan on forced leave was recommended after declaring him responsible for irregularities in the university so that he could not influence departmental inquiry.

The GIT has also recommended dismissal of teachers illegally appointed to administrative posts and placing ban on contractual appointments up to grade-16 in view of the forthcoming general election.

The GIT recommended formation of a committee to probe issuance of fake degrees and transferring all students to the Abdul Wali Khan University after ending new departments, which were set up illegally. The GIT has declared that change in educational qualification and experience criteria is based on ill intention. It added that while ignoring the SOP, the vice chancellor appointed his brother-in-law Shafiq Khan as assistant controller, examinations.