UET teachers begin classes’ boycott

 Appointment of acting VC

PESHAWAR: The teachers of University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar observed a complete boycott of classes in all the campuses of the university as part of protest drive they launched on Monday against what they termed as illegal appointment of Imtiaz Hussain Gilani as acting vice-chancellor for another three months.

Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan, who is chancellor of the public sector universities of the province, accorded approval to the appointment of Imtiaz Gilani as acting vice-chancellor of the UET on completion of his third consecutive term of four years each in the office.

Soon after the notification of the extension, the Engineering University Teachers Association (EUTA) convened a general body meeting on January 29. The association decided to launch a protest campaign and boycott all kinds of academic activities including classes to press the government to withdraw the decision.

The government, however, took no notice of the teachers’ demand and the teachers started the protest drive. A complete class boycott was observed on the main campus of the university in Peshawar and its five sub-campuses in Abbottabad, Mardan, Bannu, Kohat and Jalozai in Nowshera.

The protesting teachers were of the opinion that the appointment of the vice-chancellor on acting basis was illegal and ultra vires to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act 2012 (amended in 2015).

This protest will continue till the withdrawal of the executive order of the alleged illegal appointment of VC, EUTA declared.The teachers also set up a protest camp on the main campus of the university, which was largely attended by the university teachers and other employees.

Office-bearers of the association, including its president Dr Abdul Shakoor and General Secretary Dr Shahid Masood were also present on the occasion. They spoke to the protesting teachers.

The protesters had displayed banners and placards inscribed with slogans like: “Say No To Illegal Vice-Chancellor; Say No To Corruption.”The protesters resolved to continue the protest till withdrawal of the notification and appointment of a new vice-chancellor in line with the Universities Act.

Imtiaz Gilani, according to the protesting teachers, didn’t fulfill the criteria for appointment of vice-chancellor. He has become the longest serving vice-chancellor of any public sector university in the history of the country. He is neither a PhD nor a professor, let alone his research papers in any national or international journals, which is the basic criteria for appointment of the vice-chancellor, said a professor..