KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to examine the eligibility of an assistant/associate professor and his proposed candidature for the post of full professor at the University of Karachi and whether his appointment was made in violation of law or otherwise.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon also asked the HEC chairman to file a report before the KU syndicate as well as in court within one month.

The SHC also ordered the KU vice chancellor to coordinate with the HEC chief for such purpose forthwith by sending all credentials of Dr Danish Ahmed Siddiqui.

Petitioner Dr Mohammad Asim, a former chairman of the Karachi University Business School (KUBS), moved the SHC in 2021 impugning the appointment of Dr Siddiqui, a son of former KU VC Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, as assistant and then associate professor as well as his proposed promotion to the post of professor (BS-21).

His lawyer Shahzeb Akhtar Khan argued that Dr Siddiqui being the son of a former VC allegedly used his influence and got appointment as assistant and associate professor at KUBS and now he was being illegally appointed as professor.

The lawyer also stated that a private respondent was not eligible for such appointments in the Faculty of Business and Management Science since he belonged to the Faculty of Arts, holding a PhD in Economics degree.

The KU and other official respondents in their comments argued that the appointment and posting of Dr Siddiqui were made strictly under the law.

They also questioned the maintainability of the petition and stated that the same was filed to malign the former VC, who had honourably completed two tenures.

The bench in its order said: “Prima facie, science of economics falls within the discipline of social sciences, arts, humanities and business administration in terms of the notification dated 03.02.2015 issued by the HEC. As per petitioner, respondent No. 4 acquired a PhD degree from the department of economics, University of Karachi, in 2010 which falls within the disciples of the Faculty of Arts.”

It further noted that the academic qualification, certificates or publications of Dr Siddiqui as assistant/associate professor and his proposed candidature for the post of professor at KUBS needed to be looked into by the HEC and to see whether his appointment on the post based on the PhD in economics was made in violation of the law and policy, in excess of authority or otherwise.

Directing the HEC chairman to submit the report in a sealed envelope within a month before the KU syndicate and in court, the bench adjourned the hearing to be fixed after receipt of the report.

However, the SHC said the appointment of private respondent as assistant/associate professor of KUBS shall be subject to the final say of the competent authority of the HEC and syndicate of the respondent university.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2023