KARACHI: Describing the award of honorary doctoral degrees to its sitting syndicate members as unethical, immoral and an act against university rules, a group of teachers announced on Tuesday that they would write to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court on this issue as “conflict of interests” would destroy the institution.

They were speaking at a press conference on the university campus. The university is holding the special convocation on Wednesday (today) at Governor House to award honorary degrees to Haji Hanif Tayyab and Sardar Yasin Malik.

“The university syndicate has violated its own rules and regulations while approving the award of honorary PhD degrees to its syndicate members. It’s unethical and shameful.

“Sardar Malik had withdrawn his name for the honorary award last year during a syndicate meeting and, according to the university rules, a decision once taken in the statutory body cannot be taken up for discussion in another meeting,” said Kuts president Dr Shakeel Farooqi.

Highlighting further violations of university rules, he said the matter was not on the agenda while the minutes of the meetings were yet to be confirmed. “But names of both individuals (who are governor nominees and on their second term on the syndicate) were approved for the award of honoris causa without bringing the matter on the agenda and presenting working papers in the syndicate.”

Haji Tayyab, he argued, was nominated by the governor on the seat of an ‘aalim’ (religious scholar) though his reputation was that of a social worker.

‘Conflict of interests’

Some documents were also shared with the journalists during the press conference which showed that the foundation of a school was laid by Sardar Yasin Malik on Sept 26, 2013 but was reported by the vice chancellor on Nov 9, 2013 in the syndicate.

Another paper was a letter dated Feb 17, 2016 in which Sardar Malik had requested the university administration to allot to his foundation a two-acre plot adjacent to the Sardar Yasin Malik Professional Development Centre, KU, instead of giving the plot for the school.

“The syndicate has never discussed such a proposal. The university land is a sensitive matter and there are multiple syndicate resolutions according to which university land can never be allotted to any private and government organisation,” he said, adding that despite the passage of three years, school construction had not started.

The university chancellor, Sindh governor, was also severely criticised during the press conference for his failure to attend even a single KU convocation in more than a decade.

The teachers also disapproved of the nomination of Mohammad Hussain Syed (principal secretary to the governor) and Dr Naushad Sheikh, former secretary to the governor, on the seat of ‘eminent citizens’ on the syndicate by the governor.

Also the fact that few teachers had been invited to the special convocation drew flak from the teachers.

“It’s unfortunate that while he (the chancellor) seems to have no time to come to the university for the annual convocation, he has taken time out for the special convocation being held in secrecy,” remarked Dr Farooqi.

Kuts vice president Dr Shah Aliul Qadr, joint secretary Sarwat Afshan, members of Kuts executive council Prof Maqsood Ali Ansari and Farhan Siddiqui and former syndicate member Asim Ali were also present at the press briefing.

Kuts divided

Another group of KU teachers, however, distanced themselves from the press conference later in the day.

In a press release, they said the briefing did not present the majority opinion of the teachers’ society and its office bearers.

“On behalf of the majority of Kuts members, secretary of the society Moiz Khan clarifies that the press conference on the issue of conferment of honorary degrees doesn’t present the opinion of the society.

“The faculty members who had organised the press conference put forward their individual stance and agenda as the official stance of Kuts is decided in its executive council meeting,” the press release said.

The statement, it says, has the support of Kuts members including Ghufran Alam, Prof Jamil Kazmi, Prof S.M. Taha, Prof Haris Shoaib, Nadeem Ahmed, Prof Anila Ambar Malik, Dr Munazza, Dr Lubna, Dr Basit Ansari, Dr Tanveer and Dr Uzma.

“The briefing was an attempt to create division among university teachers. There are many pertinent issues of the university which need immediate attention.

“We strive for teachers’ rights and raise their voice at every forum. The society is the best forum to resolve issues amongst us. If this practice of organising press conferences on individual stances continues, it will be a strong blow to teachers’ unity,” it says.

It also asked the media to exercise caution while covering “these sorts of individually driven press conferences”.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2016