PUASA demands retired officials be sacked

LAHORE – After the Punjab government’s seven favourite officers had to leave owing to the Supreme Court’s (SC) ruling against reemployment of retired officials, the Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) has demanded removal of retired officials reemployed by the PU VC, Pakistan Today has learnt.
PUASA officials said that PU VC Dr Mujahid Kamran also falls in this category, as he retired last month and they would discuss status of the VC in their executive council meeting and launch an anti-VC movement at the varsity, as no one is above the law. PUASA officials said that VC’s Adviser Colonel (r) Ikramullah, Project Director Muhammad Ali, PU Hailey College of Banking and Finance Principal Amjad Saeed and a number of School of Biological Sciences teachers also fall in category of retired officials, which were reemployed by the administration.
PUASA Secretary Iftikhar Tarar said that these retired officials are withdrawing huge salaries, which are a burden on the varsity and the Punjab government should consider the situation and immediately vacate the varsity from these retired officials. A movement against the PU VC is likely after PUASA office bearers alleged that the VC is involved in nepotism and his acts are disheartening the entire teaching community.
The PUASA president told journalists how the VC is favouring his relatives and retired army officials and how his relatives are looting the varsity. Although the PU spokesman denied allegations of the PUASA president and said that the allegations are baseless but it is a reality that PUASA president’s statement has forced other faculty members, the Punjab government and students to think that what is happening inside the varsity and where are funds of the varsity are going at a time when all varsities are facing funds shortage.
The situation at PU would worsen in the coming days, as the PUASA is planning to discuss the case of Dr Kamran in its upcoming executive council meeting. Tarar said that ruling of the SC is very clear and all PUASA office bearers are set to take an initiative to implement the apex court’s ruling. He said that a number of retired officials are present in various varsity departments and serving at administrative posts and it was demand of the time that these officials ethically resign following in footsteps of Punjab government officials.
He said that the case of PU is sensitive, as the VC is a retired official now. Tarar said that these retired officials are also a big barrier in promotion of teachers and a sense of resentment is seen among teaches and they are concerned about presence of retired officials at the varsity. The Punjab Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) has sought details of all such employees working at various government departments across the province.
According to another PUASA official, the present administration hired retired officials without considering that varsities are facing issues of funding. He said that now the teachers’ community would fight for their rights, as they think that the Punjab government is blind and not aware of issues at the PU. The official said the Punjab CM had not taken any action against corruption at PU and now teachers were ready to launch a movement under PUASA’s leadership.
He said that it is a tragedy that an 80-year-old retired army official is working as an advisor to the VC. He asked that what services an 80-year-old man could perform and praised Lieutenant General (r) Ziauddin Butt for resigning from his government post. The official lamented that the retired army official working at the PU is not following Butt but assuring the VC that his presence would secure his tenure as well.
PU Public Relations Officer (PRO) Khurram Shahzad said that they would discuss the SC ruling with the registrar today (Monday). But a PU VC Office official, seeking anonymity, said that the VC did not fall in this category, as his job is on a tenure basis. He said that although the VC has retired but his tenure would continue till 2011 and teaches are satisfied with his performance.
The official said that Ikramullah is performing his duties on an honorary basis and as it is the VC’s personal matter, they could not say anything about it.