Faculty members of Punjab University Monday set up a hunger camp outside Punjab Assembly against the alleged unlawful appointment of Dr Mujahid Kamran as acting VC.
The PU teachers announced to launch ‘save PU movement’ and said they would continue protests until the rules are followed and the most senior professor is appointed the acting VC.
“The Higher Education Department (HED) has forwarded the summary of senior most professor Dr Taqi Zahid Bhutt to be appointed acting VC at the PU as per rules and regulations. The CM office, however, unlawfully forwarded the name of Dr Mujahid Kamran to governor to be appointed as acting VC. He has turned 65 and under the university Act, extension cannot be given to any outgoing Vice Chancellor as acting VC,” they said.
The teachers also shared the copies of the summary forwarded by the HED to the CM. “It is the policy of the chief minister to take decisions on merit. The Punjab University is the largest university in the province. It should have an honorable VC on merit and not the one who is facing inquiries in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and who has done nothing for the betterment of university,” they added.
“It is a university where second wife of the unlawfully appointed VC has been demoted by the Lahore High Court on the proven charges of plagiarism but she is still serving as Principal of University Law College. Where in the world it happens that the VC does not remove the convicted principal from the post just because she happens to be his second wife. This is a public sector university not the personal property of anybody. We have come out on roads to protect this prestigious institute for our coming generations and we hope that CM Sharif will follow the law and remove Mujahid Kamran as acting VC,” they added.
“Mujahid Kamran is using Academic Staff Association (ASA) for his personal gains. The tenure of ASA expires in December and this illegal body is now supporting illegally appointed VC. ASA President Dr Hasan Mobeen Alam is facing a case in court in a fake degree case while General Secretary Raja Mahboob has been declared guilty for embezzling Rs 1.6 million in an inquiry conducted by the university administration. University teachers do not trust in ASA and that is why they have launched ‘save PU movement’ and will continue to save this prestigious institute,” PU teachers said.
PU Syndicate member Javed Sami, Shumaila Gull, Law College faculty member Samee Uzair, Dr Shahbaz Cheema, former member Syndicate Dr Ismatuallah, Dr Naveed Ahmed, Miss Khujista Rehan, Dr Shahid Ghazi and Dr Ehsan Sharif along with their colleagues participated in the movement.