SWABI: Over 300 employees of Women University Swabi (WUS) won’t be able to get their salary of March and may also face delay in April salary as the government has failed to appoint an acting vice-chancellor since the departure of permanent VC three weeks back, sources in the varsity told Dawn on Friday.

Prof Shahana Urooj Kazmi had completed her three-year tenure as VC in the first week of March, but the higher education department has not appointed a regular or acting VC till date due to unknown reasons, said the sources.

They said the varsity employees were in hot waters as all financial bills/matters were pending to be cleared as no one was authorised to put the final signature on the documents, enabling employees to get salary.

“The employees will face financial difficulties amid high inflation,” said the sources.

They said some of the staffers had started collecting donations for helping the daily wagers. They said payment of varsity’s electricity and fuel bills was also pending, and asked the higher education department to take prompt action to protect the university from further difficulties.

When contacted, a relevant official on condition of anonymity told Dawn the varsity didn’t have the services of pro-vice-chancellor as the charge of VC hadn’t been given to anyone.

He said the university had sent the names of three senior most teachers to the higher education department and the governor’s office for appointment as pro-VC. However, the official said the government was not serious in appointing pro-VC from within the university.

The academic staff said Dr Shahana Kazmi had failed to appoint a single regular professor, who could become dean and easily be appointed on the post of pro-VC.

KILLED: A woman was killed in Yar Hussain village of Razaar tehsil when two unidentified assailants opened fire on her on Friday, the police said.

Haroon Khan, a brother of the deceased, said his sister was on way home when two motorcyclists opened fire on her, killing her on the spot.

The killers and cause of the incident was not immediately known.

The Yar Hussain police registered an FIR and started investigations.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2023