Daily Times

LAHORE: Prof Dr Muhammad Taqi Zahid Butt, Punjab University’s senior most professor in terms of length of service has vowed to challenge in the Lahore High Court (LHC) for immediate stay the HED notification if it appoints Prof Dr Muhammad Fakhar ul Haq Noori (or any other professor) as interim VC of the PU, sources privy to Prof Butt have revealed to Daily Times.

This reporter has also seen three seniority lists issued by the PU Registrar Office in 2013, 2014, and 2016, clearly showing Prof Butt as the senior most professor in terms of length of service (and not age). The seniority lists further showed that Prof Butt was born on 15-04-1960 and he joined the PU as a Lecturer on 01-09-1984, and Prof Noori was born on 29-06-1959 and joined PU as Lecturer on 19-11-1984.

Thus, these documents undoubtedly reveal that in terms of age Prof Noori is senior to Prof Butt, but in terms of length of service Prof Butt is senior to Prof Noori. This reporter has also seen a copy of the “Summary for the chief minister” written by Irfan Ali, former secretary Higher Education Department (HED), Punjab on 18-01-2016 for Prof Butt’s appointment as acting vice chancellor of PU at the end of the second tenure of Dr Mujahid Kamran.

“It is proposed that the chief minister may advise the governor/chancellor to assign the charge of the post of the vice chancellor, University of the Punjab, Lahore to Prof Dr Muhammad Taqi Zahid Butt, College of Engineering and Emerging Technology / senior most Professor of University of the Punjab, Lahore (Annex-A), in exercise of powers vested in him under Section 14(9) of the University of the Punjab, Lahore Act, 1973,” the summary stated.

This document further strengthens Prof Butt’s case as being the senior most professor of PU in terms of length of service.