ISLAMABAD: The federal government is considering whether to approve a junior faculty member from a Saudi Arabian university for the post of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) president.

Sources from the government, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Ministry of Federal Education told Dawn that the Saudi government recently asked Pakistani authorities to appoint a Saudi assistant professor president of IIUI.

The name and credentials of the professor are being scrutinised, they said, and the HEC and ministry have conveyed their feedback to President Dr Arif Alvi, who is also the chancellor of IIUI, informing him that the Saudi assistant professor is too junior to be appointed president of IIUI.

Both the ministry and HEC have told Dr Alvi that if a Saudi national is to be appointed as IIUI president, then Saudi authorities should be asked to nominate a senior scholar for the post. However, Dr Alvi has not yet made a final decision.

IIUI has faced several challenges in the last few years.

Saudi national Dr Ahmad Yousif A. Al Draiweesh is currently president of the university while Dr Masoom Yasinzai is the rector. Dr Draiweesh had gone to Saudi Arabia in March on leave, from where he would occasionally chair virtual meetings of the IIUI.

During this time, the Saudi government asked Pakistani authorities to replace Mr Draiweesh with Dr Hathal bin Hamoud Al Otaibi, assistant professor at the Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University of Riyadh.

The IIUI was established in 1980 in pursuance to a resolution by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

According to university officials: “It was envisaged that a board of trustees would create a trust, through an endowment fund in Pakistan and abroad, in collaboration with the OIC for financial backing and stability for the university. However, except $1million from the United Arab Emirates, no other country provided any funds.”

Since other Islamic countries did not contribute to the endowment fund, Pakistan has been arranging funds for the IIUI for the last three decades, they added.

Meanwhile, the government has on a couple of occasions appointed Saudi nationals on key posts at the university.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2020