DERA GHAZI KHAN: The Ghazi University is facing problems in the absence of a pro-vice chancellor after the tenure of (former) vice chancellor Dr Muhammad Tufail ended on Sept 17.

The university registrar, Dr Allah Bakhsh Gulshan, is looking after the day-to-day affairs but lacks authority to undertake several administrative tasks. It is mandatory according to university rules for the vice chancellor to appoint deans and the senior-most of them should be appointed pro-vice chancellor.

Dr Shoaib Raza, the spokesperson for the university, told Dawn that Dr Tufail had left the charge after which financial affairs had come to a standstill, except the process of issuance of salaries. He said the university was facing a lot of problems in the absence of a vice chancellor.

Sources said a complaint was sent to the Punjab governor (chancellor) against the vice chancellor who did not form panels of deans and appoint a pro-vice chancellor. The posts of directors, treasurer, controller of examination, principal officer, registrar, DSA and QEC also are being run on an additional charge basis for the last three years.

They said charges of inadequate expenditure on offices and sheds for vehicles for the students had been levelled. The letter alleged that one of the six senior professors was heading various committees along with the additional charge of an important slot at Mir Chakar University of Technology, Dera Ghazi Khan. Sources said the vice chancellor did not want to leave the university and he moved a summary to the governor for his temporary appointment till the appointment of a new vice chancellor.

Meanwhile, a professor had also sent a complaint against the former vice chancellor over alleged “use of official facilities after retirement”.

Dr Muhammad Tufail told Dawn that there were hurdles in the shape of statutes, incomplete ACRs and record of probation in the way of constitution of deans and pro-vice chancellor panels. He said even the Punjab University was without the pro-vice chancellor after the retirement of its vice chancellor.

He said there was no option of extension of the tenure of the vice chancellor in the rules of the university. He said landscaping of the new city campus, establishment of a bus stand, shed for vehicles, construction of boundary wall of the new campus, new offices, monumental gates of city campus of the Ghazi University, establishment of security system, commencement of PhD programmes and establishment of Seraiki and Balochi language departments were his initiatives.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2022