LAHORE, Jan 4: Punjab University syndicate member MPA Syed Ihsanullah Waqas has given his note of dissent regarding the appointment of four university professors in BPS-21.

He has approached the Punjab Governor/Chancellor with a request that the syndicate and selection board be asked to fulfil all legal requirements prior to recommending such cases.

Mr Waqas has also sent his four-page note of dissent to the Punjab chief minister. The case for the approval of appointment (of four university teachers in BPS-21) recommended by selection boards was presented before the syndicate in its meeting on Dec 11.

The syndicate had approved award of BPS-21 to the professors though one member, Dr Mujahid Mansoori, had given his note of dissent. He had stated that the respective selection boards had committed gross irregularities and illegalities with reference to ACRs and research work of selected candidates.

Similarly, Mr Waqas and Punjab Special Secretary (Higher Education) Nazir Saeed had not endorsed the decision. Mr Waqas had told the syndicate that he would study the case and send his objections, if any, to the Punjab Governor/Chancellor.

After approval, the syndicate had referred the case to the chancellor for final approval. The professors are: Centre for High Energy Physics Director Prof Dr Fazl-i-Aleem, Faculty of Engineering and Technology Dean Prof Dr Arif Butt, University Law College Principal Prof Dil Muhammad Malik and Economics Department Chairman Prof Dr A Rauf Butt.

Four other contenders - Faculty of Science Dean Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, Faculty of Education Dean Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal, Institute of Chemistry Director Prof Dr Jamil Anwar and Philosophy Department Chairman Prof Dr Absar Ahmad - had made representations against selection boards' recommendations regarding the grant of BPS-21.

In his note of dissent, Mr Waqas has stated that the atmosphere in PU had become highly charged and disturbed and that the conduct of administration was widely perceived as being unjust, partisan and personalized in this matter.

He stated that university's entire formula for the grant of BPS-21 gave only 20 per cent weight to research work and much higher consideration to non-academic factors. "This in itself is an unhealthy thing and the statutes needed to be changed to give weight to research."

Pointing out irregularities, illegalities and lacunae in the entire process of granting BPS-21, Mr Waqas stated that the ACRs of certain recommended candidates for certain years were written by reporting officers who did not held offices during those years, or at least during most part of each of those years.

Some of these ACRs were not even countersigned by the vice-chancellor of that period or any VC for that matter. He stated that this was against the standard law and practice regarding ACRs as cited in the rule books for writing ACRs. Such ACRs were incomplete and/ or invalid and could not be used for evaluation.

Mr Waqas stated that it was also very intriguing that a member of the syndicate, who wanted to look at the record, was denied access to diary registers that would have shed light on when ACRs were received for various candidates for particular years.

"This has generated very serious doubts about the integrity of the process," he added. He said the appointment of a scrutiny committee was unnecessary because the wife of an applicant was a member of it. "This is against all norms of justice and fair play."

Mr Waqas said that it was most significant that an inquiry had been conducted against the husband of the said lady on charges that included aiding and abetting plagiarism as editor of journal in which his own articles were also published. He said the Punjab education minister had also issued a statement some months ago on the said issue.

He also stated that the syndicate's quorum was not complete when the case of awarding BPS-21 was discussed. The PU VC had continued the meeting although two members pointed out lack of quorum.

"Thus the decision (regarding award of BPS-21) was taken by the syndicate, which was short of required quorum of 10. This in itself makes the entire proceedings illegal," he said. Mr Waqas submitted that the process (of awarding BPS-21 to four professors) was riddled with irregularities, lacunae and illegalities and must, therefore, be quashed.