GUJRAT: Some key academic and administrative positions, including those of four deans, the registrar, treasurer and the controller (examination), have been lying vacant at the University of Gujrat (UoG).

Most of the vacant posts are being run on an ad hoc basis through giving acting charge to some junior officials, causing a serious concern among the varsity staff, students and parents who would often have to face problems at the hands of [acting charge] officials.

Four out of total six seats of deans, have recently vacated after Prof Faheem Malik who had been the dean of two faculties - sciences as well as computing and information technology - was appointed the first-ever pro-vice chancellor of UoG. Similarly the dean faculty of engineering and technology Prof Dr Salman Tahir has been appointed as Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering, Rahim Yar Khan, VC whereas Prof Dr Abdul Rehman (dean faculty of management sciences) has joined the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, on the basis of deputation for one year recently.

However, it is learnt that the university administration has already forwarded three names of professors for the appointment of dean faculty of sciences to the Punjab governor to appoint one of them as a dean.

On the other hand, Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC) director Dr Mudassar Iqbal has tendered resignation and proceeded abroad and it is learnt that the VC has accepted his resignation after which the post is vacated. Director (security) Raja Umar has already left the UoG to join the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Islamabad, as security officer on deputation a few months ago.

Positions of four deans, six directors, registrar, treasurer, controller (exam) vacant due to one reason or other

Sources told Dawn that Mr Umar had been recruited by the AIOU on a regular basis and now he would again join the UoG for the cancellation of his deputation and then will formally quit the post [in UoG] in the next few days after which the post of director (security) will formally become vacant.

Currently directorate of security is being run by another officer on acting charge basis whereas director (information technology) Arshad Bosal has also left the UoG and joined the AIOU.

It is learnt that directors of security and IT as well as dean Prof Dr Abdul Rehman had been considered close aides of former VC UoG Prof Dr Ziaul Qayyum who had been appointed as VC AIOU in December last year that is why two of these senior officers have joined the AIOU.

The posts of at least six directors including that of administration and coordination (A&C), students services centre, purchase, ORIC, IT and security have currently been lying vacant.

Moreover, the three key administrative posts of registrar, treasurer and controller examination have been vacant for the last many years as incumbent registrar Dr Tahir Aqeel is originally the director quality enhancement cell (QEC) and he had also completed his term more than two years ago and now he has been working on the acting charge which would often get renewal after every six months.

The post of treasurer has been vacant for the last more than five years which is being run by Abdul Waheed Butt, the additional treasurer, on the acting charge basis since then whereas the controller examination is also being run on acting charge basis.

Prof Dr Zafar Gill has also recently been appointed as an acting principal of Nawaz Sharif Medical College (NSMC) which is the constituent college of UoG.

When contacted, director (press, media and publications) Sheikh Abdul Rasheed said the varsity administration had already been working on filling the posts as process for the appointment of deans was under way whereas the posts of registrar, treasurer and controller examination had also been advertised around two months ago. And the search committee would select the candidates after following the procedure on these three seats.

Interestingly, incumbent VC UoG Prof Dr Shabbar Atiq has also been holding the charge of VC of three varsities - University of Mianwali in Mianwali, Punjab University of Technology, Rasul, Mandi Bahauddin, as well as a project director of University of Narowal.

Meanwhile, some senior academicians and varsity’s administrative staff have criticised the government’s inability in filling the vacant posts in different public sector universities in Punjab.

They said instead of focussing on strengthening the existing universities through filling the vacant posts, the government has been establishing more such institutions in the public sector, raising questions on the provision of quality education to students.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2019