KARACHI, June 19: The senate of Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology on Monday nominated one of its members to perform the duties of vice-chancellor of the university in the absence of the incumbent.

The office of the vice-chancellor is vacant for the last few weeks following the resignation of Dr Iqbal Mohsin. The university affairs at present is being looked after by Science Faculty Dean Dr Kamaluddin, who also attended the senate meeting, held with its new deputy chairman Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik.

A university press release said: “The senate unanimously nominated Dr Syed Altaf Hussain as acting vice-chancellor and a notification in this regard will be issued.”

However, when contacted university officials and a couple of senate members failed to clarify who will issue the notification in question and when the caretaker will assume charges.

Under the provisions of Federal Universities Ordinance 2002, at any time when the office of the VC is vacant, or the Vice-Chancellor is absent or is unable to perform the functions of his office due to illness or any other reason, the Senate shall make such arrangements for the performance of the duties of the vice-chancellor as it may deem for.

A source on the campus said that Dr Altaf, who has been nominated for the post of acting vice-chancellor will cease to function as soon as a regular vice-chancellor was appointed by the university chancellor.

However, the notification could not be issued until he is released by the Higher Education Commission, where is serving, an official said.

The senate also formed a three-member representation committee to propose the names for appointments against four vacant seats of senate members. The committee members were Nadra Panjwani, Dr Irtifaq Ali and Aftab Ahmad Khan, said a source.

Under the rules, the senate members as well as the vice-chancellor are to be appointed by the chancellor from amongst the persons recommended by the representation committee set up for the purpose.

The senate also asked its all sub-committees to complete their assignment and furnish reports at the earliest.

Those who attended the meeting were: Prof Dr Syed Kamaluddin, Aftab Ahmad Khan, Brig (retd) Zafar Iqbal, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Nadra Panjwani, Prof Raziu Ur Rahman, Justice (retd) Ghaus Mohammad, Dr Aslam Farrukhi, Dr Syed Irtifaq Ali, Dr Altaf Hussain and Abdul Alim. Two teachers of the university Prof Syed Asghar Ali and Prof Suleman Mohammad participated as observers.

The meeting also lauded the services of the outgoing deputy chair Jamiluddin Aali and proposed that a befitting function should be held and a memento (Nishan-i-Sapas) be presented to Aali sahib on the behalf of Urdu varsity.

In the meantime, Anjuman Tarqai-i-Urdu has welcomed the appointment of Dr Altaf as acting vice-chancellor and hoped that he would also be appointed as permanent vice-chancellor of the university.

Dr Altaf headed Allama Iqbal Open University for five years and Anjuman is quite hopeful that Urdu varsity will also excel under his leadership, said Jamiluddin Aali, the honorary secretary of Anjuman in a press release.