MULTAN: The administration of the Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) has allotted houses to a number of university employees out of turn in violation of the rules and regulations, Dawn has learnt.

Vice Chancellor Dr Khawaja Alqama while exercising his powers allotted a house of “Category C” to the university's engineer Muhammad Rafique who, according to the sources, joined the university some six months ago.

A duplex has been allotted to Assistant Professor Adeel Akhtar with BPS-19 though duplexes are meant for employees with BPS-20 or above.

The BZU administration has set a unique example by allotting a house to Dr Fariha Chaudhry who is working as Assistant Professor at university’s Sahiwal Campus.

The questions have been raised over the allotment as to how the university could allot a house in Multan to a person appointed in Sahiwal.

According to the university act, the houses at the university campus with categories A, B and C shall be allotted to the eligible applicants by the house allotment committee, however, the decision of the committee shall in all cases be subject to confirmation by the VC.

It says the houses will be allotted to the employees, including those on deputation at the university, for whom they were primarily intended and preference will be given to the permanent employees of the university.

“An applicant who does not own a house within the limits of Multan Corporation shall be given preference to one who owns a house within the said limits,” it states.

The university act further says that the employees of BPS-17 and above or any grade equivalent to this scale shall be entitled to apply for category of houses of A, B and C, employees of BPS-5 to 16 shall be entitled to apply for houses of category-D and the employees of BPS-1 to 4 shall be entitled to apply for houses of category-E.

The university act says that starting from the date of appointment in the lecturer's or in an equivalent grade, temporary, officiating or permanent shall count for calculating the total length of service for the purpose of this rule.

“In case of category of houses reserved for A Class Administrative Officers, the seniority for the purpose of allotment of house, shall be counted from the date of first appointment in the university in BPS-17 and above while all services rendered whether temporary/officiating or permanent shall count for calculating the total length of service for the purpose of this rule,” the act says.

President Academic Staff Association Dr Saeed Akhtar also confirms that the houses have been allotted in the violation of the laid down rules and regulations.

He says that all the cases of house allotment should be sent to the house allotment committee and allotments should be done on merit.

BZU Registrar Malik Munir Hussain says that the vice chancellor has the authority to allot a house to any university employee on an emergency basis even ignoring the seniority.

He rejects the reports, saying no violation has been committed in the houses allotment.