ISLAMABAD: Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Vice-Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf has offered to hold a parley with the protesting university faculty members to find out an amicable and negotiated settlement to the issues they are facing.
Talking to media, the VC said that university has consistently been ranked the top university in the country by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and has also been listed among the top 500 universities in the world. He said that the constant improvement in the ranking, and publications of the university’s research papers in the international journals, are enough to belie the opponents’ claims that the university is damaged.
Taking credit for starting the much-needed boundary-wall of the university, the VC said that renovation work on the hostels is in progress and the appointment of PhDs as faculty members in the university is continuing. The VC said that out of the total 47 faculty members, only seven are left who are not enrolled in the PhD programmes, which is a great achievement.
Responding to the protest by representatives of Academic Staff Association (ASA), Ashraf said that it was nothing but merely a professional jealousy. He added that it will, however, go in vain as he has offered the protesters to sit with the university administration to find out a mutually agreed solution to the problems facing the university.
He lamented that it is quite unfortunate that the protesters are merely protesting and are not ready to sit for talks. He said that the issue is actually about the promotion of faculty members, which he said has nothing to do with him and is instead HEC’s decision which does not want to promote them since they are not fulfilling the required criteria.
About the law and pharmacy departments, Ashraf said that tangible steps have been taken and good news would be heard soon in this regard. He said that the culture of sit-ins is being promoted in the country, which he said was not a civilized way to respond to grievances.
Responding to the question about two appointments on a contract basis, he said that it was not solely his decision. He added that both the persons appointed were well-qualified having PhD degrees from abroad.
Ironically, he said, those who opposed their appointment don’t have PhD degrees.
Ashraf claimed that he brought funds to the university and change could be felt in the university to a great extent, but the irony is that even then a well-planned campaign is being run against him which is beyond comprehension.
He challenged his critics that if anyone has concrete and solid proof against him of wrongdoings and misappropriation, they must bring it to the public, and advised against criticism without any proof.
