DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Vice-Chancellor of the Gomal University Prof Iftikhar Ahmed on Friday resigned from his office over differences with the government over the establishment of an agriculture university in Dera Ismail Khan.

Prof Iftikhar, who was appointed to the post a year ago, submitted the letter of resignation to the higher education department.

He is understood to upset at the government’s decision to upgrade the department of agriculture to an agriculture university without consulting him in ‘violation of the law’.

A few days ago, Prof Iftikhar wrote a letter to the prime minister seeking his intervention on the matter insisting that the government’s initiative will create problems for the university.

On March 19, the higher education department sought an explanation from him in writing within 10 days for directly writing to the prime minister Prof Iftikhar responded with a three-page explanation along with a letter of resignation.

According to sources in the Governor’s House, Peshawar, the VC’s resignation has not been accepted yet.

They insisted that Chancellor Shah Farman had expressed displeasure with Prof Iftikhar for writing to the prime minister and criticising the cabinet’s agriculture university decision.

Meanwhile, the university’s employees visited the vice-chancellor’s house to urge him to withdraw resignation. He, however, refused to accept the demand.

Prof Iftikhar later called a meeting of deans and heads of departments on campus and apprised them of the background of the move.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2021