LAHORE: On the direction of the Punjab Assembly’s Standing Committee on Higher Education, Punjab University has suspended two professors -- Azhar Naeem and Kamran Abid -- from service, allegedly on their illegal appointment and promotion.

The standing committee had issued the direction following a motion moved by MPA Raja Shaukat Bhatti, demanding the university authorities to finalise a comprehensive inquiry against the two teachers and submit a report within two weeks.

The committee meeting, which was presided over by MPA Sumaira Saeed and attended by the Punjab University vice chancellor and registrar, focused on the controversial appointments and promotions of the two faculty members in 2014.

Raising serious questions about their academic eligibility, Mr Bhatti asserted that the professors faced severe allegations of bypassing syndicate decisions and securing appointments and advancements with the alleged connivance of the former university administration.

MPA Rana Arshad stressed the need for scrutinising all recruitment and promotion records of the varsity, determining the exact role played by the PU management.

The committee instructed that administrative officers and other officials found involved in the irregularities must be clearly identified, with their names explicitly incorporated into the final inquiry report.

Under the directives, proceedings against both professors are to be conducted strictly under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (Peeda) Act, with the administration mandated to present all facts and compliance measures before the standing committee within a fortnight.

The controversy originates from an adjournment motion previously tabled in the house by Mr Bhatti regarding alleged unlawful advancement, specifically naming Azhar Naeem for securing an unmerited promotion, alongside a disputed scholarship. Although the initial motion highlighted a single professor, Bhatti noted that Kamran Abid’s case was identical, leading the committee to reach a unanimous decision to initiate formal disciplinary action.

Rana Arshad confirmed that the directives for investigation and enforcement have been formally communicated to the vice chancellor.

In a separate political development, Punjab governor has summoned the 46th session of the Punjab Assembly.

Scheduled for Monday (Oct 26) at 2pm, the session will be presided over by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. A formal notification has already been issued by the assembly secretariat.Meanwhile, according to suspension notifications issued on Oct 23, Prof Dr Azhar Naeem and Prof Dr Kamran Abid were suspended from service with immediate effect, until further orders.

The action followed a meeting of the standing committee on October 22, which took up adjournment motion No 406/26 regarding the alleged illegal appointments of the two professors.

The suspension orders were issued by PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Shah under Section 15(3) of the University of the Punjab Act, 1973, subject to approval by the university’s syndicate.

Dr Azhar Naeem is a professor at the Institute of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering, while Dr Kamran Abid is the institute’s director. Both have been directed to report to the registrar’s office and will receive subsistence allowance under the rules.

In a separate order, Associate Professor Dr Fainan Hanif was assigned responsibility for handling the routine affairs of the director’s office as a stop-gap arrangement until further orders.

PUASA: The Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) has called for an inquiry into alleged illegal appointments and promotions at the university.

PUASA President Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi welcomed the standing committee’s intervention and its direction for an inquiry. He said the Lahore High Court (LHC) had also ordered an inquiry into the appointments.PUJAC: The Punjab University Joint Action Committee (PUJAC) has accused the administration of withholding facts and presenting a “one-sided” account before the standing committee.

It also alleged that the administration had failed to disclose the LHC’s ruling on the appointments.

PUJAC said it would pursue legal remedies and hold a meeting on Monday to review the matter and decide its next course of action.

Separately, the affectees of Punjab University’s Town III housing project also welcomed the suspensions and called for investigations into the appointments and promotions of the two professors.

Town III affectees’ president Dr Khurram Shehzad alleged that the assets of the two professors increased substantially since the launch of the Town III project. He said Dr Azhar Naeem and Dr Kamran Abid served as secretary and member, respectively, of the project’s management committee.

He said the affectees had been waiting for their plots for the last 10 years and called for accountability under the law.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2026