KARACHI: Teachers at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (Fuuast) have appealed to the chancellor (the president of Pakistan) to act in the light of a recent Sindh High Court directive and order initiation of the process to appoint a regular vice chancellor of the university through the search committee.

In a recently sent letter, teachers have called upon the chancellor to take notice of the prevailing crisis at the university.

“The SHC has clearly stated in a recent hearing that the university search committee can start the process of selecting a regular vice chancellor. Please take notice of this order and appoint a non-controversial person with academic excellence as the head of the university,” the letter says.

Speaking to Dawn, teachers expressed extreme concern over delay in appointing a regular vice chancellor and said the status quo was badly affecting academic and administrative functions of the university.

“The present administration has held up the process of selecting a regular vice chancellor for over a year on the excuse that there is a stay order on the search committee. But, it’s absolutely wrong,” said Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Tahiri, a senior Urdu university teacher and member of its senate.

Teachers, he said, had been raising this issue for a long time. “Now the high court itself has recently made it clear that it hasn’t stopped the search committee to do its work,” he said.

Members of the search committee, he said, had already been chosen in a senate meeting held on October 5, 2015. They were Shahid Shafeeq (convenor), Prof Hanifa Tayyaba, Dr Abdul Qadeer Rajput, Dr Parveen Akhtar Usmani, Dr Moinuddin Aqeel, Dr Mohammed Zahid and Dr Ismail Moosa.

In the absence of a regular vice chancellor, all kinds of selection boards were also held up that included teachers’ promotions and regularisation of contract teachers.

“The university is unable to receive approved Rs780 million for the construction of the Islamabad campus because an acting vice chancellor can’t take important decisions. Offices of registrar, director finance and controller examination are being run on ad hoc basis,” he said, adding that the university had failed to get the Rs2 billion financial support as per its budget.

According to a SHC order issued on Nov 14, “(as far as) the appointment of regular vice chancellor is concerned, the search committee my act in accordance with law for the regular induction.”

It may be recalled that the SHC is hearing a petition challenging promotions of the incumbent vice chancellor and his appointment as acting head of the university.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2016