ISLAMABAD: The International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) administration has failed to take action against several illegal appointments at the varsity, Daily Times has learnt reliably.
According to the available information, Dr Jabar Zaman Khattak is an associate professor at the Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology of IIUI. Dr Zaman Khattak was appointed assistant professor in 2010 and was later promoted to the rank of associated professor. The administration made the appointment while turning blind eyes, as Dr Zaman was terminated from the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT).
As per the rules, such officials are ineligible to join any public sector institution.
Sources revealed that Dr Zaman Khattak is also not a Pakistani national. He is a Danish citizen and as per the Denmark rules, his Pakistani nationality has been suspended.
The documents stated that Higher Education Commission (HEC) also took cognisance of the issue. However, the administration put the facts under carpet and gave ‘all is okay’ report to the commission over the matter.
Moreover, the incumbent administration of the university had appointed Dr Aqdas Naveed Malik against the post of Higher Studies and Research (HS&R) vice president (VP), while Dr Muhammad Munir has been appointed against the post of Administration, Finance and Planning (AF&P) vice president against the fundamental rules.
According to the rules, a candidate who wishes for the post of HS&R vice president should be a full professor preferably holding the position for at least five years. Moreover, at least 15 years of teaching/ research experience and in a HEC recognized university or a postgraduate institution is also mandatory for the said post.
However, Dr Naveed Malik lacks the required qualification that was asked by the varsity. According to information available, Dr Malik had been promoted to the post of professor in August last year. But he does not fulfil the five-year service requirement as a full professor for the said post.
For selection of AF&P vice president, the desiring candidate was asked to be a full professor preferably holding the position for at least last five years. Beside, in the advertisement it was said that the preference would be given to the Phd candidate preferably in the field of management sciences/computer sciences/finance from a HEC recognised university or DAI.
However, the university while appointing Dr Muhammad Munir AF&F vice president ignored its own asked criteria given in the published advertisement.
Dr Muhammad Munir holds no experience in management, finance and planning fields experience as he is a faculty of Shairah Law in the university.
While commenting on the VPs’ appointments, Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai said that there was no specific legal requirement in this regard. “The appointed persons are highly qualified”, he said. Another official Muhammad Arshad Zia was appointed the Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences (FB&AS) Dean on March 13 against the rules. As per Section 2.2 of IIUU statues, the candidate who desires for the slot of a dean in any faculty should not be below the rank of a professor in the relevant discipline.
Moreover, there are around 28 faculty members, including assistant professors, associate professors, and professors, serving in various departments of IIUI on tenure track system (TTS).
The faculty against TTS slots in any varsity is directly paid by the HEC. As per TTS rules, only a ‘tenured’ faculty member can assume responsibility in an administrative capacity such as vice chancellor, director research, dean of a faculty and head of departments and others. Minimum required period to be a ‘tenured’ faculty member is six years service on tenure track. After completion of six year service tenure, the overall performance of such a faculty member will be assessed and only eligible candidates will be declared as ‘tenured’ faculty members.
However, the documents revealed that many IIUI faculty members on TTS are holding administrative slots against the fundamental rule.
Published in Daily Times, November 9th 2017.