Accuse Aftab of seeking Khurshid’s permanent posting as registrar
Higher education department forwards summary to S&GAD, which would put the ball in CM’s court
LAHORE
Faculty members of the Government College University (GCU) on Thursday condemned Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Khalid Aftab for not summoning the meeting of the varsity’s syndicate to establish a search committee for advertising the post of the university’s register after incumbent Faisal Khurshid’s contract expired last week, Pakistan Today has learnt. Teachers said that Khurshid was still occupying his office, which according to rules was illegal. They alleged that Aftab was protecting the registrar and wanted to get him posted as the university’s permanent registrar after approval from the Punjab Higher Education Department.
Faculty members said that it was the responsibility of the VC to call the syndicate’s meeting, as the Higher Education Department (HED) did not extend Khushid’s tenure. On the other hand, sources in the HED, revealed that the summary, which the GCU VC had sent to the HED seeking Khurshid’s permanent approval, had been forwarded to the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), which would be sent to the Punjab CM asking him to advertise the post of the registrar according to the rules and regulations of the GCU Ordinance 2002. The Higher Education Department (HEC) had already turned down the VC’s request for extending the contract of the incumbent registrar.
The GCU spokesman also confirmed that they had not received any notification to decide Khurshid’s issue. The delay in the decision on the Punjab government’s part had created tension amongst many senior professors who were eying the lucrative slot. Most faculty members had opposed the idea of giving any extension to Khurshid, as he did not fulfill the criteria required for the job. According to a faculty member, seeking anonymity, said that Khurshid should vacate his office, as the HED had refused to grant him an extension. “His stay in the office is illegal now after the education department did not renew his contract” he said. A senior faculty member said that it seemed the GCU VC was not in a mood to accept any other faculty member as registrar except Khurshid.
Some faculty members had written letters Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer and the HED highlighting Khurshid’s demerits and his inability to handle the affairs of the university. A faculty member, seeking anonymity, told Pakistan Today that nowadays the registrar issue was the talk of the day and most of the teachers and students wanted Khurshid out. He said that the VC should hold a press conference and explain his position regarding the issue. The teacher said that Aftab had done a lot for the university and he should not get involved in a controversy when his own tenure was about to end.
According to sources, the HED was reluctant to permanently appoint Khurshid, as he did not meet the criteria for the post. According to rules, a PhD holder or a person with a MA or MBA degree and 20 years of experience could be appointed the registrar and Khurshid was appointed by relaxing the rules.
GCU Public Relations Officer (PRO) Musadiq Suherwardi said that Khurshid was still occupying his office and had the full backing of the VC.
