KU senate forms subcommittee for leave encashment

Karachi University (KU) in the 20th meeting of its senate on Tuesday constituted a subcommittee to look into the matter of leave encashment and seek guidance from the senate’s meeting held in 2000 before submitting its report in the next meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan. It was the first senate meeting held after five years since Khan had taken charge as vice chancellor.

The members of the senate, representatives of the Higher Education Commission, the secretaries of the boards and universities, the registrar, the controller of examinations and the KU deputy director finance were present during the meeting.

Convener Subcommittee Professor Dr Jameel Kzami had been assigned the task to prepare recommendations on the matter within one month. The deputy finance director of the varsity presented an estimated budget 2018-19 which was approved by a syndicate, whereas the senate meeting decided to hold voting on the finance and planning committee in the next meeting.

The vice chancellor mentioned that despite the fact that the KU had been facing a serious financial crunch, the varsity had witnessed over 2,000 local and international publications during the last year alone and the faculty members did their best in conducting quality researches and academic activities.

The meeting was called off due to time constraint; however, Khan assured the senate members that the next meeting would be called at the earliest. On the other hand, the elected KU senate member from affiliated colleges raised during the meeting serious concerns over the examination process, saying that they were not getting a satisfactory answer. At this, the faculties staged a walkout from the meeting. Earlier, the meeting members offered Fateha for the deceased teaching and non-teaching staff of the varsity as well as for the martyrs of New Zealand mosques’ attacks.

KUTS unhappy with meeting

Dr S M Taha of the Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) remarked that incompetency ruined the 20th senate meeting held after five years.

“It was the most pathetic and ill-prepared senate meeting I have ever experienced in my KU career. Financial statements were unsigned, and the VC was not able to defend the statements.”

Taha said the only thing Khan did was put up a deprecating smile on his face with let it go impression. He added that the VC had failed to come with a strong defence over the points raised by the college senators regarding examinations and he did not utter a single word in favour of the controller of examinations.

“I am really worried about how this university would continue to work with the present administration.”