GCU directed to decide appeal of faculty member

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court has directed the Government College University Syndicate to decide the pending appeal of Professor Dr Atif Yaqub against his removal from the post of chairperson of Zoology Department within one month.

The court further ordered that the notification of his removal would remain subject to the decision made on the appeal. The petitioner through his counsel pleaded that he was appointed as professor in the Zoology Department and was made chairperson of the department on August 21, 2019 for a term of three years, ending on August 21, 2022. He pointed out that his appointment was made following an advertisement and upon completion of all legal formalities. He was recommended by the selection board and on its recommendation, the syndicate – the competent authority - appointed him as the head of the department, the petitioner said. He contended that an inquiry against him regarding his appointment as a professor in the Zoology Department was pending before the Higher Education Commission. On the basis of that inquiry, first his salary was stopped and later GCU registrar removed him from the post on August 26, 2021 and directed him to hand over the charge to Dr Hafiz Muhammad Tahir, the petitioner said.

The petitioner argued that he was not given an opportunity of personal hearing and the impugned notification was issued by an authority which lacked the competence to remove him as he was appointed by the syndicate and in terms of applicable law the registrar had no authority to issue the impugned notification on the instruction of the vice-chancellor. After hearing the arguments, Justice Muhammad Raza Qureshi disposed of the petition and directed the GCU Syndicate to decide the petitioner’s pending appeal strictly in accordance with the law.