KARACHI, Aug 16: The Karachi University Teachers’ Society (KUTS) has denounced the latest administrative requirement which makes it mandatory for the teachers, who have filed nomination papers for elections to different seats of syndicate, to submit undertaking.

The KU registrar on Thursday informed at least eight teachers that their nomination papers were being rejected as they were allegedly reluctant to submit the undertaking.

The undertaking is aimed to know the affiliation of a teacher or any of his dependents with any political or ethnic group.

The affected teachers included Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser, who had filed papers for election to the seat of the syndicate from constituency among the members of senate to be held on August 29. He was sure to return unopposed, said a KUTS office-bearer. Others are Abid Hasnain, Dr Rafeeq Alam Khan, Dr M. Shabbir Ahsan, Majid Mumtaz, Dr Riaz Ahmad, Muhammad Shahid Qureshi and M. M. Ezamuddin, who have filed papers for the election to the seats of syndicate from the constituency of the university teachers to be held on August 21.

Speaking at a press conference on the campus, KUTS president Dr Faheemuddin and secretary Sarwar Naseem maintained that rejection of the nomination papers was a well-planned move to keep the teachers representatives away from different statutory bodies. They said there was no precedence that the registrar of the university had ever asked any of the teachers to submit undertaking under provisions of the Sindh Servants Conduct Rules 1966.

Prof Suhail Barkati, Dr Riaz Ahmad, Prof Aqeel Ahmad, Raees Ahmad, Kulsoom Kazi and Dr Iftikhar Imam were also present.

While it is still debatable at the KU statutory bodies whether application of the Civil Servants Rules in case of university employees is correct or not, the sudden demand for undertaking from the teachers shows the mala fide intentions of the university administration, the teachers viewed.

The administration was also accused of issuing fresh letters to teachers in regard to syndicate elections from the back dates. “In fact, the administration has decided not to spare any chance of causing harassment among the teachers,” said a teacher, adding that legally the teachers were in a sound position and there was a considered opinion that the government servant rules did not apply on them as they were governed under the university code and charter only.

The teachers expressed the view that the university authorities were violating not only the basic rights of the teachers but were also on the verge to deprive them of their democratic rights. “We will not only make a representation to the vice-chancellor, but will also raise the issue at the related forums and approach the chancellor as well, if needed,” KUTS’ secretary Sarwar Naseem maintained.

Referring to the alleged harassment of some students at the Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, Dr Faheemuddin said KUTS had certain reservations on the way the administration was taking up the issue.

He said that while the students were reportedly boycotting their research classes, the vice-chancellor, who is the chairman of the BoG of the centre, should convene a meeting to discuss the matter and take action in order to resolve the crisis.

The KUTS office-bearers were of the view that the initial inquiry, after a report from some of the centre’s students, was not carried out properly as the teachers who were alleged of bad conduct were not given any chance to defend themselves. The director of the centre was removed summarily, despite the fact that one member of the first inquiry committee did not take part in the proceedings, they added