KARACHI: Due to the lack of seriousness on part of some teachers at the Federal Urdu University, a national level institute for the promotion and dissemination of Urdu language, the appointment of permanent vice-chancellor has once again been entangled in problems.
The university has got only five permanent VCs and 9 acting VCs, while Dr. Qaiser Mahmood has run the system of the university for 5 years, after which no one has been appointed for more than two years.
After the final approval to appoint Professor Athar Atta, who intends to come to Pakistan from Canada and run the university, with an additional salary of Rs 500,000, the Dean of the University of Urdu, Dr. Muhammad Zahid has once again challenged the appointment of a permanent vice-chancellor. Notices have been issued to the President of Pakistan, Registrar Urdu University, members of the Syndicate, Federal Secretary Education, Chairman HEC under Constitutional Application No. D-5549.
In the notices, Dr. Muhammad Zahid, referring to the constitutional petition, wrote that in the process of appointment of permanent vice-chancellor, the search committee and the senate had given misleading facts to the chancellor. This action of the committee was called completely unconstitutional in petition no. 5205/2020 by the court, after which illegal action has been taken once again.
Meanwhile, the Higher Education Commission has also submitted its reply to the court in which it was revealed that the search committee had also shortlisted two candidates whose research papers provided by them were not complete. They were shortlisted and included in the list of final candidates, due to which the shortlisted panel was incomplete.
Dr. Mohammad Zahid criticized the search committee and the senate and wrote in the notice that the search committee has completed its term as per section 12 (2) of the search committee university ordinance because they had also shortlisted two candidates who were eligible. The appointment letter of Dr. Shahid Qureshi was issued and with that the term of the search committee was over. Several hearings have been held in this regard and the university is not submitting its reply. Athar Atta cannot be appointed to a public sector university due to his dual citizenship.
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Meanwhile, the teachers’ association Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus has issued a statement in the political situation that the Chancellor has approved the salary of Dr. Athar Atta (with additional allowance) and it is hoped that a permanent Shaykh-ul-Jamia will come to the university. The only solution to ad hocism and future determination is the appointment of a permanent Shaykh-ul-Jamia. But certain individuals are playing with the future of the university and its affiliated staff in pursuit of their personal interests and to save their seats, and as before, steps are being taken to prevent the permanent Shaykh-ul-Jamia’s appointment.
This legal notice has now been sent to stop the appointment of Dr. Athar Atta, it will only benefit a few persons but will harm the entire university. Dr. Muhammad Zahid blocked his way by filing a case and as soon as Dr. Athar Atta’s appointment was approved, he hurriedly applied and sent legal notice. Everyone knows the answer to why he is doing it.
The extension of the present Rais Kulia at the expiration of the term in the presence of four professors in the Faculty of Science is also related to the same issue. Will the teachers continue to be exploited by few persons for their personal interests?, Teachers Association Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus will raise voice in the legitimate rights of teachers and in the interest of the university and will continue to expose anti-university elements, teachers must unite and decide in the interest of the university and fight hard against the anti-university elements.
It should be noted that the appointment of Permanent vice-chancellor in Urdu University has once again been made controversial. 20 years after the establishment of the university, it has been made controversial even before the appointment of the 6th permanent VC. On 13 November 2002 first VC Dr. Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui remained on the post for one year and 22 days. On January 7, 2004, Aftab Ahmed Khan remained on the post of VC for eight months 21 days. Professor Dr. Iqbal Mohsin got appointed as VC on September 30, 2004, he remained on the post for one year, eight months and one day.
Prof. Dr. Kamal-ud-Din was appointed in charge on 9th June 2006 and was posted for one year, 8 months and 11 days. Dr. Qaiser Iqbal was appointed on 22nd January 2008 who completed 5 years. Dr. Zafar Iqbal remained as VC from 1st February 2013 to 10 March 2015. Professor Dr. Muhammad Qaiser remained acting VC from 11 March 2015 to 12 August 2015 for 4 months and 29 days, Prof. Dr. Suleiman D. Muhammad remained Acting VC from 12 August 2015 to 14 September 2017 for 1 year 9 months and 19 days.
After which Professor Dr. Syed Altaf Hussain remained acting VC from December 7, 2017, after which he remained permanent VC from August 10, 2018, for one year, three months and 13 days, later reappointed as acting VC from January 7, 2020. Professor Dr. Rubina Mushtaque remained on the post for six months from September 17, 2020. Later, Deputy Chairman Senate AQ Khalil remained in charge of the university who was replaced on October 25, 2021, and Dr. Ziaul Qayoom of Allama Iqbal Open University was given charge of the Urdu University who is still at the post.
