HYDERABAD, May 27: The Sindh chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association has criticised Dr Nazir Mughal for attending as vice-chancellor of the University of Sindh a seminar organised by the education department in Dadu on Saturday.

The federation said in a statement that Governor of Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad had sent Dr Mughal on forced leave on Feb 21 and made Dr Parveen Shah acting VC. His attending the seminar in the presence of acting VC was unjustified, it said. It said all literate people of Sindh were aware of the struggle launched by teachers, employees, students, civil society and various socio-political parties for the removal of Dr Mughal.

Besides violation of law it a slight on people who rejected Dr Mughal as VC.

Federal Law Minister Farooq H. Naek who attended the seminar must be knowing that the VC was accused of indulging in corruption, mismanagement, nepotism, inefficiency and violence on the campus and that he also did not follow service criteria for university employees laid down by the Higher Education Commission, it said.

It said teachers, employees, students and civil society had been urging the government to remove him after the cold-blooded murder of Prof Bashir Channar on Jan 2 this year.

Findings of a judicial inquiry and review of disciplinary committee about students’ rustication indicated that Prof Channar’s murder was an offshoot of illegal decisions taken by Dr Mughal, it said.

The federation urged the law minister to ask the education department why it invited Dr Mughal, instead of Dr Parveen Shah, as VC. His actions, it said, had harmed not only Sindh University but all public sector universities of Sindh.

It demanded that the governor should terminate Dr Mughal and solve the problems of teachers. It said the federation would announce its line of action on May 29 in Karachi if the teachers’ issues remained unresolved.