KARACHI, May 5: The City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, has requested the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Karachi, Dr Pirzada Qasim, to declare the ongoing selection process in the varsity as null and void, and conduct it in accordance with the already laid down criteria and practices as carried out in the past, PPI learnt on Thursday.

The VC was asked to take the KU syndicate into confidence while recruiting ot fresh KU officials.

The nazim made these requests following allegations by five assistant controllers of the varsity that the KU administration had debarred them from appearing before the selection board for appointment of fresh employees in the officers’ cadre.

These KU officials, hired three years back on ad hoc basis, said this was despite the fact that they had been given written assurances of being given a chance to appear before the selection board.

Reliable sources at the KU told PPI that the varsity had invited some 25 candidates to appear before the selection board, to be held on May 7, 2005, for appointment of assistant controllers. The candidates had applied for the vacancies following an advertisement by the varsity administration.

Ironically, five assistant controllers, hired during former VC Dr Zafar Saeed Saify’s tenure, including Burhanuddin Kazmi, Moiz Ahsan and three others, were not invited although all of them met the criteria in addition to having an experience of three years, they added.

Protesting against the situation, all affected assistant controllers appealed to Sindh governor and KU chancellor and President Musharraf to take stock of the situation.

“We have detected financial and administrative irregularities against several KU officials. This has enraged the said officials, who are hatching conspiracies against us by creating hurdles in our appearance before the selection board,” they added.

An official of the varsity when contacted said the already serving assistant controllers did not meet the qualifications required for the advertised posts, due to which they were not invited to appear before the selection board.—PPI