Acting GCU VC following in predecessor’s footsteps

LAHORE – Government College University (GCU) Acting Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Ikramul Haq is nowadays coming in for a lot of criticism for trying to appoint his handpicked GCU Deputy Registrar Nauman Jamil as registrar, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources in GCU said Haq and GCU Registrar Faisal Khurshid, whose extended term is going to end on April 12, want to have Jamil appointed as registrar before a regular VC is appointed and stop a fair audit. They alleged that Jamil, who happened to be a student of acting VC, does not have a good reputation. Sources said the GCU staff would launch a campaign against Jamil if he was appointed to the coveted post.
On the other hand, GCU faculty members said that they would not allow Haq to appoint a man who is similar to Khurshid in character because the institution has already suffered a lot. Criticising the acting VC, faculty members said he was a gentleman but after becoming acting VC he has been using his influence to favour incompetent people who damaged the institution’s repute during former VC Dr Khalid Aftab’s term of office.
After Aftab’s retirement on March 9, the Punjab Higher Education Department, after approval of Governor Latif Khosa and CM Shahbaz Sharif, appointed Haq as acting VC due to his seniority. The acting VC, who is also working as the dean of Sciences and Information Technology and Institute of Biotechnology director, wants to have Jamil from the Chemistry Department appointed as registrar.
The faculty members, who are criticizing the VC, belong to the newly-established Academic Staff Association (ASA). They said that Haq and Khurshid were remnants of Aftab’s tenure and follow the dictatorial style which damages the institution’s repute. A faculty member said that Jamil was a section officer in the education department and in 2009 was brought to GCU by the former VC in BPS-18.
He said that the whole faculty was surprised when the former VC appointed him as deputy registrar administration and establishment (A&E), because according to rules, he was not eligible for the post. The professor said that the faculty was opposing his stay at GCU and last month he was transferred to Raiwind Degree College as assistant professor but he is still present at GCU just to occupy the slot of registrar.
Another faculty member, seeking anonymity, said that Khurshid’s term as registrar is going to end and the Punjab government is not willing to give him another extension for allowing stage dancer Deedar’s vulgar dance on ‘Munni Badnaam Hui’ at the varsity. Khurshid was accused of attempting to sexually assault a female colleague and this was the reason for which Shahbaz denied him an extension. Ravians demand a fair audit of Khurshid’s tenure as registrar.
A GCU administrative officer said that the whole faculty wants to get all those corrupt officials out who are responsible for damaging the varsity’s repute during Aftab’s tenure, and Khurshid’s name is at the top. He said that they also want to vacate the offices of the GCU Endowment Fund and Public Relations Department from the registration branch and conduct a fair audit.
He said that they expect the Punjab government and the incoming VC to replace the staff from these offices, as they want to revive the old status of the varsity by appointing officials on merit. Haq confirmed that Jamil was his student but rejected the assumption that he is using his influence for appointment as registrar.
GCU Public Relations Officer (PRO) Musadiq said that Jamil was not transferred to Raiwind Degree College. He said that Jamil himself wanted to leave the GCU and was waiting for his transfer orders. Jamil was not available for comment.