LAHORE, Jan 1: Governor Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood has dissolved the Aitchison College’s 21-member Board of Governors in a bid to regain college’s past glory that was ‘tarnished’ following recent controversies.

Aitchison College Principal Dr Muhammad Hafeez, who was also secretary to the Board of Governors, has resigned from his office after accepting a three-month notice period salary. Dr Hafeez had assumed the office of the college principal on March 1, last year, for a term of five years.

The Aitchison College BoG dissolution comes as a surprise for all and sundry.

Sources told Dawn the governor, who is also president of Aitchison College’s BoG, has dissolved the board in the best interest of the institution. The governor, who himself is an Aitchisonian, has appointed college’s former principal Shamim Saifullah Khan as principal. He had served the college as principal from 1994 to 2008 and was replaced by Fakir Syed Aijazuddin. Mr Aijazuddin was replaced by Dr Muhammad Hafeez.

The governor has also reconstituted the BoG shrinking its size to nine members, including four ex-officio members – GOC 10 Div, Punjab chief secretary, finance secretary and higher education secretary.

The BoG’s new five official members are: Maj-Gen Sahibzada Asfandiyar Pataudi, Sardar Yar Muhammad Jamali, Yawar Bedar, Justice Yahya Afridi and LUMS Pro-Chancellor Syed Babar Ali.

Sources stated the governor chaired the BoG meeting on Tuesday morning, which went well and concluded in a cordial manner. The BoG approved college’s 2012-13 budget, appointed a school headmaster as well as discussed some other issues following a detailed presentation by principal Dr Hafeez.

Sources claimed Governor Mahmood had taken the drastic decision of dissolving BoG and replacing the principal to revive “strict” environment in the college. However, sources said Dr Hafeez was a professor and wanted to bring changes in the college that should be sustainable without fear factor.