Daily Times

LAHORE: The National College of Arts (NCA) has held a meeting of its Board of Governors (BoGs) to finalise procedure for hiring academic staff at vacant posts despite
the court’s stay order, it has been learnt.

Reliable sources at the NCA told Daily Times that the NCA administration had called a meeting of its BoGs on March 18 to discuss procedure for hiring of academic staff despite the court’s stay order. However, members of the BoGs were not informed about the stay order, they added.

When Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed was asked by media persons about the meeting, he could not answer questions about the proceedings of the BoGs meeting.

However, members of the BoGs had raised questions over the stay order and sought minutes of the previous BoGs meeting, which were not
prepared by the NCA administration.

Senior Civil Judge (Federal) Nazar Abbas Godal had issued a stay order against hiring of academic staff for NCA Lahore and NCA Rawalpindi, citing the reason that the advertisements given for the posts in several newspapers were against the NCA Ordinance-1985 and SRO-1995. The court order was also received by Personal Secretary to NCA Principal Asif.

It is important to mention here that the NCA is one of the oldest institutions of arts and culture studies in Pakistan, and still enjoys the top position in the arts section. The college had produced a large number of renowned actors, artists, painters, calligraphers, photographers, musicians, directors and producers, who had presented soft image of the country globally.

The NCA BoGs comprises Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, federal finance secretary, cabinet division secretary, Punjab Higher Education Department secretary, Kinnaird College for Women Principal Dr Ruksana David, former NCA faculty member Prof Asif, University of Engineering and Technology vice chancellor, University of the Punjab Vice Chancellor Dr Zafar and Adil Salahud Din.

Several attempts were made to seek comments of NCA Principal Dr Murtaza Jaffri, but his cell phone remained switched off. Sources; however, said that Dr Murtaza was on an official visit in Murree that was why he could not be contacted.