SWABI: Women University Swabi (WUS) Vice-Chancellor Prof Shahana Urooj Kazmi was ‘forced’ to relinquish her charge after she failed to do so voluntarily on March 5 when her three-year crisis-ridden stint at the helm completed, sources in the varsity told Dawn here on Monday.

The sources said when the outgoing VC adopted delaying tactics, the provincial higher education department had to step in, directing the varsity registrar to de-notify her.

“Prof Kazmi was reluctant to leave the university,” said the sources while quoting a varsity official.

When this correspondent contacted her two days ago, she had said there was no one she could hand over the varsity charge to.

A notification issued by the university says: “It is hereby notified for information of all concerned that Prof Shahana Urooj Kazmi has relinquished the charge of the office of Vice-Chancellor, Women University Swabi, vide letter no SWU/NC/2023/18 after completing her three-year tenure.”

Prof Kazmi’s tenure ended on March 5 but she was ‘reluctant’ to leave office

The sources said during her tenure, 10 new departments were created and about 100 teachers were recruited, putting extra financial burden on WUS, which was already facing financial crunch.

In 2021, a governor’s inspection team had found that she was involved in illegal appointments; illegally allowed extra benefits/increments to some fixed employees and hired a flat on monthly rent of Rs75,000 as a university guesthouse in Islamabad.

The sources said since the establishment of WUS in 2016, only two regular VCs were appointed. Mostly the university was run by three acting VCs. They said political meddling in WUS affairs damaged its reputation.

The sources said the varsity had also no regular pro-vice-chancellor.

ROBBER ARRESTED: The police on Monday arrested a robber and recovered Rs200,000 looted cash from him.

DSP Razaar tehsil Jawad Khan said the arrested robber, Khalilur Rahman belonged to a group, which used to barge into houses in Swabi and Mardan districts and loot people at gunpoint.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2023