Varsity’s teachers association displeased with proposed names

Karachi
Disapproving of the three names proposed for the nomination of vice chancellor Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST), the teachers association (Anjuman-e-Asatiza) of one of the varsity’s campus, on Tuesday, demanded of President Mamnoon Hussain to appoint a meritorious academician for the post.
Addressing a press conference with respect to the issue, Anjuman-e-Asatiza General Secretary, Gulshan campus, Dr Sajid Jahangir stated, “Give the university a reputable academician like Dr Abdul Wahab or Dr Ishrat Hussain (VCs of Mohammad Ali Jinnah University and Institute of Business Administration respectively) and we will ensure the varsity makes its way into the top ranking universities of the country within five years only.”
The decision should be taken in the greater interest of the students’ education, their future and the betterment of the teaching and non-teaching staff, he added.
According to Dr Jahangir, members FUUAST Senate Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Tahiri and Dr Muhammad Ali, and vice president of the association Dr Muhammad Abid along with other members of the Graduate Research Management Committee had also endorsed the reservations.
One of the proposed names did not have any experience to hold the position while another professor, employed at the varsity, was found guilty of plagiarism by the Higher Education Commission, he said while expressing misgivings to the proposed names.
Dr Jahangir also complained of not appointing an acting-VC, usually appointed in the absence of a VC, during the two-year row with respect to the nomination of the post.
He further claimed that during the university Senate’s meeting in Islamabad, held on Saturday, around 10 names were discussed but three names were forwarded without due consultation of other members.
HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed was also urged to play his due role in the ongoing crisis and help the varsity in resolving it.
Senior officials of the association Dr Kauser and Dr Raziuddin also addressed the press conference.

President sacks FUUAST VC
Exercising his powers as the Chancellor of FUUAST, President Mamnoon Hussain had on Monday sacked Dr Zafar Iqbal from the VC’s post on charges of malpractice, corruption and misuse of authority and powers.
The dispute over his nomination had been going on for over two years after he was appointed to the post following the completion of previous VC of the varsity, Dr Muhammad Qaiser’s, term.
Passing a resolution in a meeting held on Saturday, the university’s senate unanimously agreed to remove Dr Iqbal from the post with immediate effect, in terms of Section 12(5) of the FUUAST Ordinance, 2002.
In accordance with the report of FUUAST senate’s review panel, deputy chairman of the senate, Javed Ashraf, while presiding over the meeting found Dr Iqbal guilty of the charges.
The inquiry was conducted by Justice (retd) Haziq-ul-Khairi of the federal Shariat court.
The senate also suggested sending the report to the National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Authority to further probe the charges leveled against Dr Iqbal; his name was also proposed to be put on the exit control list (ECL).
The senate later proposed three names to be considered for the next nomination; they include Dr Salman D Muhammad, dean at FUUAST, Dr Muhammad Qaiser, former VC FUUAST who was currently serving as the VC at the University of Karachi, and Parveen Akhtar Usmani, head of the Sindh University’s Geology Department.
Following the tiff, Dr Iqbal had filed a petition with the Sindh High Court to acquire a stay order into the decisions taken by the university’s senate, after it had decided to send him on a forced three-month leave in a meeting conducted without him in December 2014.
Justice (retd) Khari had issued a 1000-page long charge sheet and had given Dr Iqbal 21 days to respond to the charges, however, he never appeared before the investigation committee.