ISLAMABAD: The crisis at the Federal Urdu University of Arts and Sciences deepened on Monday when the syndicate terminated the services of the officiating vice chancellor, Dr Salman D. Mohammad, on plagiarism charges.

He was given the officiating charge on April 13, 2015, by President Mamnoon Hussain in place of acting vice chancellor Dr Qaisar, who left for Australia.

Earlier, Dr Zafar Iqbal, the permanent VC of the university, was sent on a three-month forced leave by the chancellor but he got a stay order from the Sindh High Court and continued working as the VC at the main Karachi campus.

Dr Qaisar was struggling to get the full charge of the acting VC from Dr Zafar Iqbal. However, when Dr Qaisar left for Australia, the Presidency gave the ‘look-after’ charge to Dr Salman, a senior faculty member.

On Monday, the university syndicate under the supervision of Dr Zafar Iqbal removed Dr Salman on the charges of plagiarism.

According to a notification issued by the university, Dr Salman’s plagiarism case was discussed at the syndicate meeting and it was unanimously recommended that he should be removed from service.

“In the light of the recommendations of the syndicate, we have terminated the services of Dr Salman D. Mohammad today,” said a spokesman for the university.

On the other hand, Dr Salman told Dawn that he was appointed as the ‘look after’ VC by the president in place of the acting vice chancellor who is currently abroad.

“Since Dr Zafar is not a legitimate VC, there is no legal value of the syndicate meeting which he chaired,” Dr Salman said and added that he would challenge the decision at an appropriate forum.

“I’m being victimised just for accepting the ‘look after’ charge.” He maintained that the university syndicate had no power to impose a plenty on anyone on the basis of plagiarism charges. “The HEC is a relevant forum which can decide on plagiarism cases,” he said.

It may be noted that Dr Salman had tried to sit at the main campus in Karachi but Dr Zafar didn’t allow him, forcing him to move to the Islamabad campus.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2015

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