PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday directed Islamia College University Peshawar vice chancellor Ajmal Khan as well as the committee recommending name for appointment to his office to file separate explanations on the petition challenging the incumbent’s appointment.

Petitioner Akhtar Ilyas, a lawyer, prayed the court to seek explanation from the vice chancellor on under what authority he had been holding the office as he didn’t possess the required qualification.

Appearing before a bench comprising Justice Nisar Hussain and Justice Qaisar Rasheed, the petitioner’s lawyer, Essa Khan, contended that an advertisement was published in 2008 for appointment of vice chancellor for the prestigious Islamia College University.

He said under the law, the search committee had to recommend name to the chancellor/governor for appointment as the vice chancellor. Essa Khan said in the said advertisement the primary qualification given for the candidate was that he must be a PhD and an academician of repute.

Lawyer insists Ajmal Khan not qualified to hold top post of Islamia College University

He said the candidate should also be having research papers to his credit published in journals of repute but though Ajmal Khan was not a PhD, a notification was issued on June 26, 2008, of his appointment as vice chancellor for four years.

The lawyer said in 2012, Ajmal Khan was given extension in service and that his present term would expire in 2016.

Ajmal Khan, who has been the first vice chancellor of Islamia College University since up-gradation of the historical Islamia College Peshawar, was also kidnapped by militants from Peshawar on Sept 7, 2010.

After remaining in captivity for almost four years, he was finally recovered in Aug 2014, following which he had resumed his duty as vice chancellor.

STAY GRANTED: The bench stayed the appointment of an assistant curator to the archeology department on the recommendation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission and issued notices to the commission’s chairman as well as the director archeology.

The bench was hearing the petition of a candidate, Mohammad Asif Raza, who has challenged the recommendation of the commission to appoint another candidate, Mian Wahab Shah, insisting the latter was granted age relaxation by the government contrary to the prescribed rules.

The bench fixed Nov 11 for next hearing with the direction that the PSC and the director archeology should explain their stance in the case.

Advocate Habibullah Mohmand appeared for the petitioner and contended that the commission had advertised five posts of assistant curators in Apr 2014. He added that the petitioner had applied against the said posts apart from other candidates.

He said the candidate, Mian Wahab Shah, was overage for the post by two years and 25 days and had granted age relaxation by the government. The lawyer said on the merit list, the said candidate was placed one step ahead of the petitioner.

He added that under the rules, over two years age relaxation could only be granted when for the said post any other suitable candidate was not available and for that proper justification should be given.

The lawyer said in the instant case, no justification was given and that on June 1, 2015, the PSC recommended the appointment of Mian Wahab to one of the posts.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2015

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