Muhammad Zuhrain, an Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) employee, approached the capital’s courts with a case he registered against the university officials for not regularising him.
The Gujjar Khan resident was disappointed to know that the respondent in the case had not submitted his reply before the court despite receiving two notices and that the case had been adjourned for three more days. Zuhrain told Pakistan Today: “34 of my colleagues and I filed a civil suit against AIOU through its VC Dr Nazir Ahmad Sangi, for not regularising us despite the fact that we have served the university for more than five years. “The VC has not replied to the court’s summons. The first notice was served to him 10 days ago. A reminder was also issued, but VC has yet to submit his reply.” Civil Judge Chaudhry Naveed Akhtar, who has been hearing the case, took serious notice of the matter on Saturday and issued the third and final notice to the VC via courier, saying that he will announce the decision on February 21st. The judge heard the stance of the employees’ counsel, who submitted that the employees moved for litigation after getting a cold response from the university administration about the issue of their regularisation. The counsel added that the petitioners had been employed on contract basis in different categories against regular and permanent posts for last several years. He said the plaintiffs were performing their duties and being paid their salaries and hence were entitled to be declared permanent employees. He asked the court to direct the respondent to declare the petitioners to be permanent employees with effect from the dates of their initial appointments as well as restrain the respondents from taking any action against the employees as a punitive measure.
The AIOU employees said the government authorities had directed all the government organisations and ministries to regularise the daily wages employees. “Many people got credit by making false claims of regularising the daily wages employees but in reality they have done nothing,” said Bilawal Khan, who led the petitioners.
When contacted, the AIOU VC was not available for his comments on the issue.
