28 September 2004	Tuesday	12 Shaban 1425

MULTAN, Sept 27: The Bahauddin Zakariya University's academic staff association has criticized the provincial government for advertising the post of vice-chancellor.

According to a press note issued after an association meeting, the provincial authorities interviewed three senior professors, including acting VC Dr Karamat Ali, of the university on Sept 17 last for the post but advertised it in the print media only after three days.

"The treatment meted out to the BZU teachers is unworthy of their status and dignity and the association thinks it is appropriate to register its protest," the note read. It added that at least 70 teachers of the institution fulfilled the criterion to serve as the VC at any of the universities in the country.

It was a universal principle that the senior-most teacher of a university was appointed its vice-chancellor. Recently, the senior-most teacher of the Agriculture University Faisalabad was appointed its VC by the provincial authorities.

Therefore, it noted, the association was at loss to understand why the teachers of BZU were being subjected to discrimination. "We want to make it clear that the university teachers and area people will react strongly if the authorities try to install a person from outside the BZU," the association warned.

"We demand that the provincial government should nominate the BZU VC at the earliest keeping in view the precedents and norms of justice to bring an end to uncertainty prevailing at the leading institution." BZU association president Prof Dr Abdur Rauf Sheikh chaired the meeting.