Teachers protest alleged malpractices at Islamia College University

PESHAWAR: The teaching staff of Islamia College University took to the streets here Tuesday to press the government to take notice of the alleged malpractices in the university and get the position of the vice-chancellor advertised at the earliest in accordance with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act.

The vice-chancellor Prof Dr Habib Ahmad will complete his tenure in July this year. According to the Universities Act, the position of vice-chancellor of a university should be advertised and the appointment process started six months before the completion of the tenure of the incumbent. However, the process for appointment of Islamia College vice-chancellor wasn’t initiated within the due time.

The faculty members of the university despite rain gathered at the historic Khyber Union Hall on the call of Teaching Staff Association (TSA) to stage the protest march. It was led by the TSA president, Prof Dil Nawaz Khan Khattak, and other office-bearers of the association.

After marching through different routes and departments of the university, the protesting teachers reached the main administration block and protested outside the vice-chancellor’s office.

The teachers were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the university administration, irregularities in the university and in support of their demands.

Prof Dil Nawaz Khattak, the lone speaker at the protest, highlighted the victimization of employees, nepotism in the university, irregularities in allotment of houses and appointment of the vice-chancellor.

He said victimization of staff members by the university administration being the most serious issue has triggered unrest among the teaching and non-teaching staff.

The university administration, he said, was harassing the university employees on different pretexts and some even moved the court, which gave decisions in their favour. He claimed the university administration did not implement the court decisions.

Prof Dil Nawaz Khattak asked the government to specifically look into the victimization of staff members and put an end to it.

He alleged that recruitment in the university was being made on the basis of personal likes and dislikes. “If two employees are required, they would hire 200,” he maintained.

He also gave reference of some recently arranged interviews in the university and called upon the government to investigate the matter, fix responsibility and award stern punishment to those playing with the reputation of Islamic College.

Prof Dil Nawaz Khattak said an advertisement had been placed in some newspapers recently in which applications had been invited for the different positions including BPS-17 and 18.

The applicants had been directed to send applications to PO Box 711, he said. “Astonishingly, this advertisement was meant for Islamia College and interviews were held. This is ridiculous. The government should immediately probe it,” he demanded.

The TSA president pointed out that the university was passing through severe financial crunch due to the poor policies and performance of the current administration.

“Last month the salaries of university employees were paid out from Board of Management fund. If the situation persists, the university will not be able to pay salaries to its employees,” he said.

He urged the government to start the process for appointment of new vice-chancellor for the university at the earliest and ensure merit in the process.

He recalled that merit was violated in the appointment of vice-chancellor the last time. “The Islamia College University was the most unfortunate as it got a vice-chancellor who was two-time third divisioner in his academic career,” he said.