Project director for Timergara campus appointed in violation of rules

PESHAWAR: While the government authorities have been claiming efforts to promote higher education, the project director of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (Awkum)’s Timergara campus has been appointed in violation of the relevant rules.

Normally, a university gives three names to the Higher Education Department (HED) for the appointment and the HED then selects one among those persons to head a university as project director. In this case, the university had nominated three names: Dr Saeed Islam, dean Awkum; Dr Minhaj Ud Din, assistant professor of economics and coordinator Timergara campus; and Dr Badshah Islam, assistant professor at Department of Horticulture. However, the HED altogether ignored the three names and appointed Dr Zahoor Jan as the project director to head a new varsity.

Another rule violated is that a candidate cannot be appointed from outside a university as project director if its cost is less than Rs3 billion and the Timergara campus project is worth Rs1 billion. Also, the rules do not allow Dr Zahood Jan to be appointed as Timergara campus project director as he is already heading a PSDP project.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Secretary Higher Education KP Daud Khan said that proper procedure had been adopted in the appointment. “They may forward names. But it’s the prerogative of the HED to include names in the panel. Proper interview was held by the committee headed by ACS and having representation from finance, establishment, and HED,” he said.

Hwever, he admitted that ACS was not present in the meeting, but said that in his absence, the meeting was chaired by secretary P&D and the minutes were later approved by ACS.