April 29, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 22, 1429

QUETTA, April 28: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court has directed the administration of the Balochistan University not to reinstate the two teachers it had sacked, saying the administration should not bow to pressures of politicians and the academic staff association.

Agha Mohammad Nasir and Zakir Hussain Jadoon had been dismissed by the university administration.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai and Justice Akhtar Zaman Malghani was hearing on Monday a petition filed by Syed Saleem Akhtar about the deplorable condition of educational institutions in Balochistan.

The court also directed the provincial chief secretary to tell the Balochistan government to refrain from interfering in the affairs of the university because it was an autonomous body funded by the Higher Education Commission.

The court asked the administration to take disciplinary action against professors and teachers who had not been taking classes regularly and directed heads of departments to report about those members of the academic staff association who did not perform their duty.

The court expressed concern over politicising the dismissal of the two teachers.