PU Geology director told to stay put after VC tiff

• Dr Ghazi suspended, will be removed for alleged misconduct
• Former geology head says VC advertised professor’s post against rules, without his consent, while a professor breached confidentiality
• Dr Ghazi’s ‘confidant’ allegedly thrashed, shown the door prior to expiry of his contract

A day after Lahore High Court (LHC) removed Punjab University (PU) Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran’s wife Dr Shazia Qureshi from the post of Law College dean, the varsity’s Institute of Geology Director Dr Shahid Ghazi, who was appointed director in 2014 for three years, was stopped from performing his duty on account of “misconduct”.

According to PU spokesman Khurram Shahzad, PU VC Wednesday called a meeting, attended by dean of sciences, registrar and other officials, and decided that “Dr Ghazi will be removed because of misconduct with the faculty members”.

A notification has also been issued in this regard which says that Dr Ghazi will not be the institute’s director till further orders.

Dr Ghazi’s removal comes following a series of events, including the suspension of class work for three days, which Institute of Geology experienced this week.

It started when one of its faculty members was “thrashed” by one of his colleagues, sources said. Muhammad Zulqarnain, a lecturer on contract basis and a PhD student who is considered to be a “close confidant” of Dr Ghazi, was working at the admin office when he was “forced” to leave the office by the management and faculty members.

Sources told Pakistan Today that Zulqarnain’s contract has been cancelled before its expiry by virtue of him being close to Dr Ghazi.

Dr Ghazi told Pakistan Today that the real saga started when the university advertised a vacant post of professor in the institute without the director’s consent. He unveiled that the post that fell vacant was of the professor of Geo Physics, a sub branch of Geology, but the vice chancellor advertised for the post of professor of Geology in general.

The director had serious reservations over the issue and he complained to the vice chancellor that it was against the university rules which he claimed state that “no post of professor will be advertised without director’s consent”. The vice chancellor paid no attention to his grievances, he added.

In another incident, Dr Ghazi was on one-day leave when his confidential letter was allegedly opened by Prof Sajid Rasheed, a resident officer in the university, sources said. Dr Ghazi recorded a strong protest over it and ordered a departmental inquiry.

Owing to his “links with administration”, Prof Rasheed launched a movement against the director and “threatened” other faculty members and junior staff to support him or face dire consequences, sources added.

There emerged a strong grouping in the faculty of the institute as Dr Naseer Ahmad-led group filed an application in the vice chancellor’s office, seeking director’s removal. Dr Naseer Ahmad, who has been notified as acting director in place of Dr Ghazi, has served as director of institute for two terms in the past and is eyeing for a third one.

Commenting on the allegations and events that unfolded, PU spokesman said that the university received many complaints against Dr Ghazi about his “rude attitude and corruption” by his faculty members. He also claimed that the vice chancellor was not bound to consult the director on any appointment.

However, several institute’s students, on anonymity, told Pakistan Today that director’s attitude towards them was “quite fair and they had no issue with the director at all”. They pleaded that the inner administrative problems of their institute must be solved as early as possible to save their academic time.