ISLAMABAD: Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) on Sunday raised concerns over the bill passed from the Senate to upgrade the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) into a university. According to an official statement, the federation said that he bill, which is likely to be tabled in the National Assembly today (Monday), is having some ambiguities as well as it has not fully exterminated the clauses supporting dictatorial mindset. Taking notice of complaints by CIIT faculty, FAPUASA President in Islamabad Dr Shehzad Ashraf Chaudhry said the proposed act lacks proper elected teachers’ representation in decision making forums like Senate, Syndicate, finance committee and academic council. The CIIT spreads over 7 campuses. The elected representation of faculty members from all campuses should be ensured in all decision making bodies of proposed COMSATS university. “Job security of existing employees must be ensured, provision of proper financial and administrative audits should be extended to proposed COMSTAS bill. Furthermore, the assets and liabilities should be carried on to the university,” he requested. He said a mechanism should be devised to resolve some critical issues, including ownership of NTS, dual degree programme and virtual campuses to avoid future complexities. The quota for less developed areas, including Balochistan, rural Sindh, South Punjab and FATA, should be reserved on a par with those at other public-sector universities of the country. It is high time to review the COMSATS Act and make necessary amendments before its approval from the august forum, so it may be formed on democratic norms, which may discourage nepotism and corruption; and bring transparency in the affairs of COMSATS,” he added. Dr Shehzad requested President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbais, minister for science and technology, opposition leader in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah and the standing committees on federal education and science and technology to take serious notice of the lacunas existent in proposed COMSTAS bill as being custodians of democratic norms of the country. Published in Daily Times, January 15th 2018.