PESHAWAR: Two days before completion of his forced leave and without notification for his reinstatement, the vice-chancellor of the Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, has rejoined his office and withdrawn all the decisions taken by the university syndicate on asset distributions, transfer of faculty and students to the newly established Agriculture University.
The rejoining sans proper notification and the decisions taken by the vice-chancellor are seen as blatant violation of the laid down procedures for the civil servants.
By doing so, he has once again challenged the authority of the governor/chancellor public sector universities, officials, privy to the situation, told The News.
Dr Iftikhar had been sent on forced leave for 90 days through a notification on April 22 this year for violating the procedure and writing a letter directly to the prime minister against the provincial cabinet decision pertaining to asset distribution with the newly established Agriculture University, DI Khan.
The forced leave was extended for another 90 days through a notification issued on July 16, which was to be implemented from July 21.
As per the notification, the forced leave would end on October 20.
But the vice-chancellor rejoined his office on October 18 - two days prior to the completion of the leave.
“Prof Dr Iftikhar has joined back the office of vice-chancellor of the Gomal University, DI Khan today on October 19, 2021 (forenoon),” says a letter sent by the university’s registrar to the higher education department secretary.
Interestingly, October 19 was a public holiday across the country on account of “Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW)”, which raised more questions about the legality of the rejoining.
Some officials at the Gomal University confided to The News that soon after his arrival at the university, Dr Iftikhar called a meeting of all the administrative officers, professors and syndicate members.
He told the participants of the meeting that the brother of Chief Minister Mahmud Khan visited his house in Swat and requested him to rejoin the university and they would talk to the governor, the officials present in the meeting said. The vice-chancellor added that he had not tendered any apology to the governor or anybody else, they added.
Other reports also suggested that the vice-chancellor has very close terms with the chief minister and the latter was interested in bringing him back to his “lost position.”
Soon after rejoining the office, the university administration withdrew all the decisions made by the acting vice-chancellor.
The notifications on the distribution of assets, formation of different committees, transfer of faculty members, shifting of students, transfer of fixed pay employees, transfer of vehicles to the Agriculture University were withdrawn.
More notifications were issued to post blue-eyed people against various administrative positions.
These decisions created problems for the Agriculture University, DI Khan.
It is unclear as to what would be the fate of the new university. The tension between the government and the management of the two universities has caused a waste of the time of the students.
The HED also seems confused about the situation.
A senior officer of the HED told The News that according to civil servant rules, any government official, if sent on forced leave, would have to be reinstated. But no such notification has been issued and the vice-chancellor has rejoined his office, which seems quite strange.
About the asset distribution, he said the decision was taken by the university syndicate and was ratified by the same forum thrice in its successive meeting. Thus, the decision cannot be overruled through such notification, he said.
He added that the vice-chancellor’s decision on asset distribution would be challenged.
The vice-chancellor did not respond to the repeated phone calls, SMS and voice messages by this reporter.
However, in a telephonic conversation a few days back, he had hinted at his possible patch-up with the provincial government and the governor.
In response to a question of his apology from the governor, he had stated that the governor was his elder and the misunderstanding created between them would end.
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