LAHORE: The Punjab University Syndicate on Saturday decided to revisit its decision regarding handing down “compulsory retirement” to Institute of Chemistry’s Prof Dr Zaid Mahmood on plagiarism charges.

Sources in the Syndicate told Dawn that the statutory body had revoked its March 29 decision and decided the orders issued to Prof Mahmood regarding compulsory retirement would be withdrawn.

Sources said some Syndicate members expressed their reservations about the decision as the administration presented March 29 meeting proceedings for approval.

Syndicate member Dr Asmatullah said that he had also submitted his note of dissent, challenging the body’s decision. Besides adoption of proper procedures, he said that he had also stated that the accused had appeared before the Syndicate in person and explained his case duly endorsed by relevant documents and “none of Syndicate members dared to cross examine him”.

Sources said the Syndicate decided it should seek technical expert report and advice from the Higher Education Commission in plagiarism case. The HEC representative, who was not present in the March 29 meeting, said the commission had a specialised Quality Assurance Cell and it should have been consulted before taking the drastic decision.

LAW COLLEGE: The Syndicate also held the Selection Board’s recommendation regarding appointment of Dr Shazia Qureshi as associate professor in the PU Law College in abeyance because the aggrieved teachers had filed an intra-court appeal in the Lahore High Court that was pending adjudication.

Upon pointing out that PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran had also issued orders regarding the appointment of Dr Qureshi as PU Law College principal using his emergency powers, the VC withdrew the agenda item of his anticipatory order regarding the posting.

Two aggrieved teachers -- Samee Ozair Khan and Dr Shahbaz Ahmad Cheema -- had also submitted a presentation to Syndicate chairman and members, before the start of the meeting, against the election board’s verdict on the associate professor post in PU Law College.

PU spokesman said the varsity administration had withdrawn the agenda item of Dr Shazia’s appointment as Law College principal because a Syndicate member had pointed out that the two aggrieved teachers had filed an intra court appeal against the Selection Board decision. He said the Lahore High Court had earlier dismissed the two teachers’ petition on merit.

It may be mentioned that the tenure of three elected representatives of university faculty had ended. The teachers’ representatives were: Associate Prof Dr Asmatullah, Assistant Prof Javed Sami and Lecturer Shamaila Gull.

Sources claimed that the varsity administration would hold elections for representatives of lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors and professors on Syndicate by the end of next month.