PESHAWAR, Oct 2 Some of the 'fund-starved' public sector universities have been spending huge sums of money on retired officials reappointed to different administrative posts, it is learnt.

There are scores of retired persons reappointed to top administrative slots in the University of Peshawar (UoP) and University of Engineering and Technology (UET). Such officials are mostly considered close to the respective vice chancellors and are being paid handsome salaries and privileges, including spacious houses on the university campus, official cars, drivers and class-IV employees.

UET Vice Chancellor Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, who was very active in recent protests against cut in the universities' budget, has reappointed Sarwar Khan as director finance about a year ago after retirement from the same post. He is now getting Rs125,000 as monthly salary along with other perks and privileges. Mr Khan is also getting Rs30,000 pension from the university.

A retired army colonel, Imtiaz Khan, has been serving as the UET registrar for the last few years. He is getting Rs60,000 salary and other facilities.

Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha, who retired in 1993 as deputy registrar establishment, has been working on contract as consultant administrations for the last seven years in the UET.Another employee Mirza Mohammad, presently working on contract as internal auditor, had retired as deputy director audit four years ago.

When contacted, Mr Gilani said that the university's statute had empowered him as VC to reappoint retired officials when expertise of such people was needed.

Similarly, many retired persons are working on administrative posts in the UoP. Though there are many senior faculty members in the Institute of Education and Research (IER) department, a retired principal of the University Public School (UPS) Malak Naz has been appointed as IER director at Rs50,000 salary and other incentives.

Mohammad Islam had retired from the university services at age 60 as director admission, but the very next day he was reappointed to the same post at Rs50,000 a month for six months. He has also been given an official car, a driver and house.

Moreover, Mohammad Taimur had retired as assistant professor five years back, but his services have been rehired as director quality enhancement cell at Rs40,000 a month. Later, his salary was increased to Rs50,000 and he was provided other facilities.

Mohammad Shafiq, a retired army major, was working as administrative officer on contract at Rs40,000 monthly salary and other privileges. Similarly, Syed Sajjad Ali Shah, a retired assistant professor of Social Work Department of the UoP, has been reappointed as project chief in examination sector.

There are six retired superintendents in the UoP working on contract basis. Soon after attaining superannuation at age of 60, these retired superintendents were reappointed in grade 16 and 17.

Presently, there are around 44 superintendents in the university. The UoP administration has also created extra posts such as additional controller, additional treasurer and additional registrar, which is burden on its budget.

Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, president Prof. Dr. Fida Mohammad Khan, when contacted, opposed the appointment of retired officials to the top administrative slots.

“The reappointment of retired persons to the administrative posts should be discouraged because it was creating hurdles to the new talent. He appealed to the vice chancellors and Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, who is also chancellor of the public sector universities, to take step for discouraging appointment of retired officials.