PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman on Wednesday sent Vice-Chancellor of the University of Swat Prof Mohammad Jamal Khan on forced leave for the remaining period of his tenure, which is ending on December 18, 2021.

“In exercise of powers conferred upon him under Section-12(8) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act, 2012, the governor in his capacity as the Chancellor of the University of Swat is pleased to send VC Prof Mohammad Jamal Khan on forced leave for the remaining period of his tenure that is ending on Dec 18, 2021 with immediate effect,” reads a notification issued by the higher education department.

Reasons of sending the VC on forced leave were not mentioned in the notification.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Jamal claimed that he had been punished for committing no irregularity in running the affairs of the varsity.

He said the governor had also sent him on forced leave for a period of three months on May 25, 2021, which the Peshawar High Court had suspended after he had approached it.

He said the governor could not send him on forced leave as there was no such provision in the University of Swat Regulations, 2010. “I will again approach the court against the governor’s order of sending him on forced leave,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2021