LARKANA: Two committees tasked to probe a long-standing stand-off between the principal and teachers of the Govt Degree College have recommended transfer of the principal to restore peaceful academic atmosphere at the college and save student’s future, Dawn learnt on Wednesday.

The principal, Prof Ghulam Serwar Qureshi, is reluctant to accept the committees’ decisions though he had earlier promised to do so.

The teachers locked horns with the principal over certain financial and administrative matters and began a protest against him under the flag of the Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA), which entered its 160th day on Wednesday, said SPLA leader Prof Lal Kalhoro.

The months long protest dropped enrolment and the situation worsened so much that Sindh Senior Minster for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro had to intervene.

He heard both the sides and formed a committee on Nov 30 last year to resolve the dispute. The committee comprised Prof Mussarat Qazi, principal of Government Arts and Commerce College who headed the committee, and professors Ramesh Lal, Bashir Ahmed Mugheri, Bashir Ahmed Jammarani and Liaquat Ali Abro acted as members. The committee members not only visited the college but also investigated allegations against the principal, said Prof Kalhoro.

The committee’s report, a copy of which was obtained by Dawn, which Prof Mussarat Qazi, sent to the then director of colleges, Larkana region, on Dec 30 last year recommended special audit of the college and removal of the principal to restore peace at the academic institution.

Another committee, which was formed at a meeting held on April 2 at the office of director of colleges after senior professors intervened to resolve the issue, heard both sides on April 6 and said in its report that lack of coordination between the principal and staff had spoiled the college atmosphere.

The committee comprising four retired professors, Dr Mohammad Siddique Bhutto, Wazir Ali Mahar, Aziz Ujjan, Altaf Ahmed Shaikh and Qurban Ali Rajpar, also recommended transferring the principal to save the college.

But the embattled principal refused to accept the committees’ recommendations and said that it was not binding upon him to accept the committees’ advice.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2016