PESHAWAR, March 28: A senior professor and member of the University of Peshawar’s syndicate has alleged that his removal from the post of chairman of environmental sciences department by the vice-chancellor is a vindictive step.

Prof (Dr) Shafiqur Rehman, who is also president of the Peshawar University Teachers’ Association, claims that during syndicate meetings in June he had raised the issue of violation of rules in appointments of the university registrar and assistant registrar by the vice-chancellor, Haroon-ur-Rasheed.

NWFP Governor Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai, chancellor of the university, had twice issued show-cause notices to the administration and questioned the appointments of the registrar and assistant registrar (academics).The two persons who were appointed did not meet the eligibility criteria, claimed Prof Rehman in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

Dawn could not reach the vice-chancellor for his comments over the professor’s allegations, but some syndicate members said the environmental sciences department head had been removed without consulting them and the step “seemed an act of vengeance”.

“The administration victimises those who express dissent over its decisions,” said a senior professor.

On March 15 a meeting of the syndicate, convened to discuss the second show-cause notice, rescinded the appointments because the same had not been made according to rules.