27 February 2004	Friday	06 Muharram 1425

LAHORE, Feb 26: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman seems to have backed out of his offer to facilitate the Federation of All-Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) executive committee in developing a consensus on the controversial Model University Ordinance (MUO) and Tenure Track System (TTS).

Sources said HEC chairman Prof Dr Attaur Rehman had held a meeting with the FAPUASA executive committee on Feb 19, and said that the commission would facilitate the committee members in holding discussions and formulating consensus documents.

When contacted, FAPUASA president Dr Iftikhar Husain Baloch said the HEC had given a cold shoulder to federation's executive committee suggestion that it should be allowed to remove discrepancies in the controversial MUO and TTS documents.

He said the committee had even offered to hold meetings at Islamabad during the holidays on Feb 29, March 1 and 2 to formulate the documents. "But, the HEC did not respond to the offer."

During the last couple of days, Dr Baloch said he had contacted the HEC chairman and other officials, but they were employing delaying tactics. "Obviously, the federation's executive committee will not be able to hold the scheduled meeting to develop consensus MUO and TTS documents."

Dr Baloch said the HEC had spent millions of rupees on developing MUO and TTS draft documents without holding consultations with all the stakeholders. He said that HEC officials had told him that the commission had not even earmarked funds for providing accommodation and fare to the committee members.

He said the HEC had given millions of rupees to foreign experts but was not ready to listen to the local experts. It may be mentioned here that the HEC chairman had stated at a news conference at commission's regional office on Jan 26 that the HEC was revising MUO and TTS documents in consultation with the FAPUASA and the provincial governments to address teachers' reservations.

Prof Rehman had also promised that the HEC would remove teachers' reservations on the cabinet-approved 14th version of the MUO as well as the TTS draft document. Dr Baloch, however, said he had never been consulted by the HEC since assuming charge as federation's president on Jan 1.