LAHORE: Government College University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi has sacked Associate Professor Dr Junaid Zafar, head of the Electrical Engineering Department, for his unacceptable conduct and poor academic performance.

A VC office letter states: “In exercise of delegated powers of the Syndicate, under section 10(4) (i) of the Government College University Lahore Service Statutes 2005, the vice chancellor hereby dispenses with the services of Dr Junaid Zafar, Associate Professor (Fixed Salary Package), Electrical Engineering Department, Government College University, Lahore, during the extended probation period, with immediate effect.”

Dr Junaid Zafar told Dawn the VC had been harassing and victimising him by design for the last two years. He said he was first removed from the position of the director, Research Innovation and Commercialisation, and later he was terminated from service on Dec 5.

He said the VC was also annoyed over his complaint to the Higher Education Department and the Punjab governor for denial of funds to his department.

On extended probation, Dr Zafar challenges VC’s power to remove him

Dr Zafar said he was terminated from service illegally as there was no provision in the statuses of the university to terminate a regular employee.

He also filed an appeal before the governor to revoke/ cancel his illegal termination order issued by the VC.

He said the GCU Syndicate was the appointing and terminating authority and the VC was misusing powers to silence his voice for pointing out irregularities in academic, admission, research and administrative affairs.

Dr Zafar said the VC had exercised section 10 (4) (i) of the GCU Service Statutes that pertained to work and conduct.

“I received a lot of appreciation letters in response to academic and research contributions. During the period I served as director, Research Innovation and Commercialisation, published more than 60 impact factor publications, represented GCU at several international platforms, received the HEC Outstanding Researcher Award and was nominated for Comstech award by the HEC.”

VC Prof Zaidi told Dawn that “we have dispensed with the services of one of their faculty members during his probationary period”. He said Dr Zafar had launched a defamatory campaign against the institution and administration.

He said Dr Zafar was a habitual absentee from his duties despite being on probation.

“We have received complaints from students, colleagues and above all from the relevant dean about his misbehaviour.”

He said the administration had issued several explanation letters and also sent show cause notices to Dr Zafar and tried to rationalise his responsibilities towards students and the department.

He said Dr Zafar had written letters to the HED/CM office on baseless charges and was found to be teaching at other universities.

He said extension in probation was meant to see whether the person in question was giving a satisfactory performance.

The VC said since the faculty dean had written about his poor performance during the probationary period, he had no choice but to relieve him from GCU duties.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2022