PESHAWAR: Due to pressure and threats from influential groups, the administration of Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, couldn’t undo the appointment of around 200 teachers and administrative staff made in violation of merit by the vice-chancellors in the previous eight years, according to sources.

They said that a high-level probe committee of the Higher Education Department (HED) had declared as questionable and dubious the entire selection process of around 200 teachers and administrative staff from grade-18 to grade-21 by the selection board and syndicate.

Take a look: Governor okays action over illegal university appointments

The committee in its report, submitted to the governor over five months ago, had recommended to the authorities concerned to declare the appointments null and void and that the case may be referred to the competent authority for initiating disciplinary action.

The chief secretary had formed the enquiry committee on February 6, 2014 when reports emerged about financial crisis in the university at a time when it was unable to pay salaries to the employees.

Despite a lapse of over five months, there is no sign that the committee’s recommendation regarding the appointments would be implemented. Certain other recommendations, including ban on fresh appointments, abolition of additional positions, etc have been implemented, the sources said.

About 200 teachers and administrative staff were appointed in violation of merit

They said that Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan, who is also chancellor of the university, had also approved the report and ordered implementation of its recommendations.

They said that the HED had directed the administration of Gomal University time and again to devise a work plan for implementation of the recommendations of the inquiry committee. However, they said, the university had so far not prepared any workable plan, which had been causing delay in taking legal action against the teachers appointed in violation of merit.

“The university administration shared a work plan with HED, but that was turned down by it because there were so many flaws in it,” an official in HED told Dawn. They official added that HED had asked the university administration to inform it when and how the recommendations would be implemented.

However, the sources said that there were little chances of implementation of the probe committee’s recommendations for various reasons like presence of strong political groups among the teachers. The VC has been feeling the pressure from such groups and avoiding taking disciplinary action, they said.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission and National Accountability Bureau were also probing irregularities in the Gomal University on their own level, the sources said.

When contacted, a senior official in the administration of Gomal University told Dawn that the disciplinary action against the teachers appointed in violation of merit was impossible. “No one can undo the teachers’ appointments,” he said.

The official, who has been working on an important position, said: “There are mafias in the university and all are bent on destroying the university for their personnel benefits.” It is a major dilemma that all the vested interest groups of employees get united against any person who want to streamline affairs of the university, he said.

“The vested interest groups put pressure on the university administration to launch protests if any disciplinary action is taken. Such groups even issue direct threats to the VC,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2015

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