LAHORE: As many as 36 Punjab University College of Information Technology (PUCIT) teachers, including Fulbright and Erasmus Mundus scholars, have asked Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Zaffar Mueen Nasar to set aside “illegal” appointments made in the tenure of former VC Dr Mujahid Kamran. The teachers have submitted a written request to the incumbent VC asking him to constitute a fact-finding committee to probe into the alleged illegal appointment of Dr Kamran Abid as an assistant professor at the PUCIT with effect from December 30, 2006 via a notification issued on November 18, 2014. They contended that the post to which Dr Kamran Abid was appointed was never advertised. “Neither had he appeared in any meeting of the Selection Board for the appointment nor he ever taught at the PUCIT, and the Selection Board never recommended the said appointment to the Syndicate.” They said that the impugned office order should be declared void ab initio. “The same office order also appointed illegally Dr Azhar Naeem as the assistant professor at the Institute of Quality and Technology Management (IQTM), also with effect from December 30, 2006. Both Dr Kamran Abid and Dr Azhar Naeem were assistant registrars when they were awarded PhD scholarships meant for faculty development. They took study leaves; got their leaves extended, and after completing their PhDs joined the university as assistant registrars. Later, the then vice chancellor, Dr Mujahid Kamran, extended undue favour to both and appointed them as assistant professors, though on ad-hoc basis, which was in clear defiance of the law settled by the Supreme Court of Pakistan whereby it deprecated ad-hoc appointments to various posts in violation of the due process,” the teachers write. “To our utter surprise an office order D/836/R on November 18, 2014 was issued thereby relegating the non-teaching staff member as part of teaching faculty. Resultantly, he (Dr Kamran Abid) became senior to the entire PUCIT faculty. Besides, he was extended all other financial benefits from the said date. He was neither PhD qualified on December 30, 2006 nor did he enjoy the requisite teaching experience that would entitle him for appointment as the assistant professor and that too with the retrospective effect.” They added, “In terms of the University of the Punjab Act 1973, the university’s Syndicate has the exclusive power in the matter. Only it can appoint the teachers and that too on the recommendation of the Selection Board. It alone can prescribe the duties of the teachers, etc. and create or abolish posts as may be necessary. It is quite incomprehensible as to how and in what capacity the then vice chancellor, Dr Mujahid Kamran, and the then registrar, Dr Liaqat Ali, proceeded to issue office order on November 18, 2014. Ironically, the office order was not even reported to the Syndicate for the reasons best known to Dr Mujahid Kamran and Dr Liaqat Ali. It is, thus, clear that the said order was not issued under section 15(3) of the University of the Punjab Act 1973.” PUCIT Principal Prof Dr Syed Mansoor Sarwar has also termed the appointment of Dr Kamran Abid illegal.