KARACHI: Assistant Professor Muhammad Kazim Ali of Karachi University KIBGE in a plea to Minister for Universities and Board Muhammad Ismail Rahu has revealed that he is being targeted and victimized for pointing out a student, who was holding a weapon. Mr Kazim further said that the project has been taken away and forced resignation has been taken from him.
According to a document obtained by MM News, former Assistant Professor Muhammad Kazim Ali, who was the victim of the revenge of Abid Azhar, Acting Director of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetics (KIBGE) inside Karachi University, has been appointed Minister of Universities and Boards. In a letter to Muhammad Ismail Rahu, Kazim has written that “I have been serving as an Assistant Professor in University of Karachi since November 11, 2019.
Kazim said he has obtained BSC and MSc and PhD degrees from Karachi University and had been associated with the University for the last 16 years. Therefore, he considers it his duty to serve the University and the people of Sindh. The subject of my research is also to address the damages caused by climate change in the agricultural sector in Sindh. For which he has to get funds of about one crore from HEC.
But due to the problems faced by the university, those funds have not been released yet. In addition, an agreement was reached with the help of CIRAD, a research institute in France, for the prevention of plant diseases in Sindh province, but it has also been delayed.
“I have been forced to resign. I have informed Karachi University and HEC that if I do not get justice, I will return my Ph.D degree to Karachi University,” he said in a written complaint to Rahu. Muhammad Kazim Ali said he wants immediate justice to be done in this matter.
Immediately after receiving the application, the Minister for Universities and Boards, Muhammad Ismail Rahu, has directed Secretary Mureed Rahmon to submit a report keeping in view all the facts in this regard.
It is to be noted that the matter was strained between the said Assistant Professor and Director KIBGE Abid Azhar when Assistant Professor Muhammad Kazim Ali allegedly recovered a pistol from an M.Phil student which was also reported to the concerned institutions. After which the matter was placed in the governing council of KIBGE in which an inquiry committee was formed. It was headed by Shakeel Khan, Vice-Chancellor of Saleem Habib University.
Shakeel Khan sent written questions to the affected Assistant Professor Muhammad Kazim Ali and answers were also given in writing. Later, the committee and the governing council declared Assistant Professor Muhammad Kazim Ali to be right and forbade him to take any disciplinary action against him.
However, the Director KIBGE took unilateral action against Muhammad Kazim Ali. He was asked to resign. If he did not resign, the assistant professor was threatened with dire consequences.
Sources said that in KIBGE too, like some other departments of Karachi University, retaliation against assistant professors and associate professors feels like a threat to them. So that becoming another professor does not become a threat to them. Due to this so far 7 to 8 Assistant Professors have left KIBGE of Karachi University. Among them are Dr. Haider Abbas, Dr. Syeda Qamar Nisa, Dr. Arif Chishti, Dr. Syed Muhammad Shahid, Dr. Naheed and others.
Sources said that Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering has been run by the Acting Director for the last 12 years.
Some assistant professors are being exploited in the institute whose reports are being withheld and they are being prevented from becoming associate professors. Among them are Dr. Sadia Gilani and Dr. Afshin Aman. Their reports have been withheld and the reports of other close assistant professors sent to them have been promoted.
Acting Director Abid Azhar was contacted for comment but did not receive a call. However, his position will be published once it is known.
