DERA GHAZI KHAN: The Ghazi University has been facing a host of challenges for the last some months, including decline in student enrollment and alleged violation of procurement and appointment rules and regulations.

Sources requesting anonymity told Dawn that the Project Director’s Office, in collaboration with the Accounts Section, had procured two generators at a cost of over Rs20 million. This procurement, according to sources, was carried out without the necessary advertisement and failed to comply with established procurement guidelines. The procurement process bypassed the rules set forth by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and the Ghazi University Annual Development Programme (ADP) regulations. The procurement director has denied allegations regarding the issue.

The secretary higher education department (south) had conducted an inquiry and mention the violation in procurement. Prof Dr Muhammad Ali, who has an additional charge of vice chancellor of the university, said procurement was not carried out in his tenure.

Also, the Ghazi University is facing administrative challenges. A key issue involves the appointment of the current registrar, who was appointed as an assistant professor under the Tenure Track System (TTS). According to the rules and regulations of the HEC, individuals appointed under the TTS are not eligible for administrative posts.

The appointment of the registrar, Dr. Abid Alvi, is reported to have been made by the outgoing Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr Kamran, in violation of HEC rules. The current Vice Chancellor, Dr. Muhammad Ali, who is working on an additional charge, has not taken any action to address the illegal appointment.

Meanwhile, the registrar continues to draw a salary under the TTS. Registrar of university Dr.Abid Alvi was contacted several times but he was not available.

When contacted for comment, the VC stated that he was not responsible for the appointment, indicating that it would be up to a regular vice chancellor to make any necessary administrative changes. However, VC Dr. Muhammed Ali has given an extension to present (TTS based assistant professor) registrar Dr. Abid Alvi as earlier he was appointed by outgoing Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr.Kamran for some months.

As per sources, the appointment of a new full-fledged vice chancellor is crucial to address these issues. Effective leadership is needed to restore order within the university, address administrative shortcomings, and revitalise its academic programmes.

Given the severity of these issues, it is imperative that the HEC takes swift and decisive action. Investigating the procurement irregularities and ensuring compliance with all regulatory frameworks should be a top priority.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2024