PESHAWAR, Oct 23: An assistant professor of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) acquiring higher studies in UK has been placed in awkward situation as the university’s administration has stopped his scholarship, asking him to mortgage property worth Rs5.078 million to the university.

The professor, Iqbal Shah, has requested the President of Pakistan, to decide a representation pending before him about his case at the earliest so that he could continue his studies, otherwise he had no other option but to return back without completion of his Ph.D.

The federal ombudsman, Imtiaz Ahmad Sahibzada, had decided the case in favour of Iqbal Shah on June 7, 2002. However, the AIOU instead of complying with the ombudsman’s order filed a representation before the president.

Mr Shah was sent to the Glasgow University (UK) by the AIOU in January 2001 for doing Ph.D in Science Education. His entire expenses had to be borne by the AIOU as mentioned in the NOC dated Dec 6, 2000. As per rules, prevalent at that time, he furnished two separate surety bonds of Rs5,00,000 each executed by his sureties and accepted by the university duly attested by a magistrate before his departure.

Later on, when the present vice-chancellor assumed the office a meeting of the executive council on Aug 25, 2001, introduced the requirement of execution of mortgage of properties. The said rule was made applicable to the teachers who had already gone abroad and were asked to execute fresh deeds whereby properties should be mortgaged to the university.

Rangeen Khan, father of Iqbal Shah, filed a complaint before the federal ombudsman after his son was asked vide letter dated Sept 14, 2001, to mortgage property worth Rs5.078 million.

The complainant claimed that his son did not possess any property which could be mortgaged.

The ombudsman accepted the complaint and directed the university to treat the case of the complainant’s son, Iqbal Shah, in accordance with the rules applicable to him at the time of his departure.