LAHORE, March 21: The name of Punjab University Registrar Col Masoodul Haq (retired) has been approved for the chairmanship of the Gujranwala Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. Officials sources told Dawn on Monday that Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had approved his name for the post and retired army officer would be relieved of his duties at the PU in a couple of days.

Mr Haq was appointed to the PU in 2000-01 for a period of six months but he was granted extension since then. In last October syndicate member Dr Mujahid Mansoori had presented a note of dissent on his extension and later a case was filed in the Lahore High Court against his appointment by a group of syndicate and academic council members and senators. However, the case was rejected. They now have filed an intra court appeal.

According to the PU Act 1973, to create and fill temporary posts, a period must not be exceeded by six months. Besides, the posts should be advertised for permanent selection. The PU had advertised the posts of the registrar in 1999 but did not follow the procedure.

The Supreme Court had also ordered that no recruitment should be made against any post which is not advertised properly. No ad hoc appointment should be converted into regular appointment without advertising the post and no recruitment be made without observing rules and prescribed procedure, the order said.

Some senior PU teachers told Dawn that Mr Haq was given “reward” for his services. They alleged that the Col had been responsible for not tracing the people involved in stealing cheques worth Rs4.8 million from the HBL branches of New and Old Campuses.

He was also instrumental in awarding BA degree to an MPA from Gujrat who had against him an unfair means case. Meanwhile, a number of PU teachers hoped that the administration would now engage some educationist and deserving person as a registrar instead doling out it out to a favourite or retired serviceman.