SC moved against school head in Saudi Arabia

LAHORE: A senior lecturer in commerce at Pakistan International School Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, has appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice against the school administration for appointing a bogus PhD holder as principal of the school and depriving the applicant of his legitimate right.

The lecturer Muhammad Akram Zahid has sent his petition to the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court of Pakistan addressing Chief Justice of Pakistan Chaudhry Saqib Nisar.

The applicant stated that he is the most senior lecturer in Pakistan International School, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and his right of promotion to the administrative positions is continuously being overlooked by the management for a long time.

He stated that the position of Vice-Principal in Pakistan International School is a tenured position and as per Service Rules of the School, prepared by the competent authority (board of directors) in the year 2002 and approved by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education, Vice-Principal is appointed for a period of three years.

The competent authority can grant extension of one year only based on the performance of the Vice-Principal. However, the school administration illegally granted extension of three years to one Sarfraz Hussain who had completed his tenure period in 2011 as Vice-Principal of the school. Moreover, an internal inquiry conducted by then Principal revealed that Sarfraz Hussain was bogus PhD degree-holder and used it for financial and administrative benefits.

The complainant stated that being senior-most lecturer his right of promotion to the position of Vice-Principal is continuously being violated not only in 2011 but even in 2014 and 2017.

Although in October 2014, Sarfraz Hussain had completed his three-year tenure as Vice-Principal, plus three-year extension (illegally granted to him), yet he was unlawfully allowed to continue performing the functions of Vice-Principal without formal approval for him to continue as Vice-Principal because such an approval was not possible under the rules, the applicant added.

The complainant stated that in November 2015 on the directions of then Ambassador of Pakistan Manzoor-ul-Haq, the vice-principal-ship allowance, PhD allowance, and other allowances of Sarfraz Hussain were discontinued after he became disqualified to hold any administrative position as he was found having obtained a bogus PhD degree.

The applicant said that in February 2017, the school administration again violating the rules appointed Sarfraz Hussain as Acting Principal of the school illegally.

The complainant Muhammad Akram Zahid implored the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice against the school administration for making a bogus PhD holder as principal of the school and depriving the applicant of his legitimate right.