ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) has directed the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore to amend its rules to bar the vice-chancellor from attending the meetings of the syndicate which had to adjudicate the case of an employee.

A full bench of the FSC comprising Chief Justice Chaudhry Ejaz Yousaf, Justice Dr Fida Muhammad Khan and Justice Saeedur Rehman Farrukh also asked the university to introduce necessary amendments in sections 23 and 41 of the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore Act 1974 within six months before June 15, 2005. Otherwise, these provisions would cease to have legal effect, the order said.

The bench was seized with the petition challenging the vires of Section 23 and 41 of the UET act 1974 along with other petitions challenging identical provisions of eight other universities of NWFP and the Punjab.

The petitioner pleaded that the vice-chancellor, who himself had punished him, should not attend the meetings of the syndicate that had to decide his appeal.