ISLAMABAD: Amid an outcry from the faculty members, the Qauid-i-Azam University (QAU) is all set to place before the syndicate its plan to sell a piece of land to the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Thursday.

According to sources, the QAU intends to sell out 17 acres to the PIDE, another degree-awarding institution already functioning on the campus land.

However, scores of faculty members smelt a rat about the move, saying a powerful politician who had been taking special interest in the higher education sector had forced the QAU vice chancellor to sell the land to the PIDE. However, talking to Dawn, Dr Javed Ashraf, the vice chancellor, denied the claim.

Faculty members oppose VC’s decision to discuss PIDE request for land in syndicate

“There is no role of any politician in the matter. The PIDE requested us for the land and we are going to discuss it in the syndicate,” the VC said.

Meanwhile, the QAU faculty members on Monday also started a signature campaign against the VC’s decision to place the land issue before the syndicate.

“So far, over 100 faculty members have registered their concerns. We will present our reservations to the syndicate members,” said Professor Dr Mohammad Ishaq of the department of chemistry.

“By selling the land to the PIDE, the management of the university is going to allow the establishment of another university within the QAU.” The professor said that several decades ago the PIDE was allowed to run a research institute at the QAU, which in 2005 started awarding degrees.

“Now the PIDE is going to purchase the land from the QAU. I would say earlier PIDE was a pesticide (sic) for the QAU and now it has become a tumour for it,” he said.

Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, the director and associate professor at the QAU School of Politics and International Relations, said the concept of selling the varsity’s land was totally wrong.

Professor Dr Gulraiz Akhter of the earth sciences department said a majority of the faculty members were opposing the move.

“The QAU land is meant for its expansion, not for sale,” he said, adding the faculty members would raise their voice against the decision of the management.

“Instead of getting the land vacated from the PIDE, our VC is going to sell out the land against about Rs500 million which are peanuts for the 17 acres at a prime location in Islamabad,” said a senior faculty member who wished not be named.

On the other hand, the VC defended the decision of placing the matter before the syndicate and said there was no harm in helping out the PIDE.

“Except four faculty members, who are saying the matter should be further discussed, all others are supporting the move,” the VC claimed.

On the other hand, some faculty members told Dawn that they were being pressured to keep mum over the issue and in some cases a few strong opponents were being adjusted on their choice posts.

They said that a few days ago, a senior faculty member was given an additional charge after which he did not speak against the matter. However, the VC said the gentleman who was given the additional charge never strongly opposed the issue. “He (faculty member) was of the opinion that the issue of land should be further discussed. I gave him an additional charge due to his abilities,” the VC said.

When contacted, PIDE spokesman Abdul Majid said the QAU should cooperate with the PIDE. “The top management of the QAU is supporting us but some employees are against the PIDE.” He said if the PIDE was granted the space, it would be a positive step in the education sector. “There are many universities in Islamabad and I don’t know why some elements are opposing the expansion of the PIDE,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play