Daily Times

LAHORE: Male dominance at the Lahore College Women University (LCWU) is at its peak despite the matter has been raised several times by staff, students and their parents.

Presence of male staff at academic institutes as well as administrative posts is said to in violation of the Punjab Women Empowerment Package 2016, which bounds all public departments to promote women at key posts.

Reliable sources at the LCWU told Daily Times that male staff had grabbed over 50 posts – both administrative and academic – long before when the LCWU was not upgraded to the status of a university by the Higher Education Commission.

Among top faculty positions, heads of departments of computer sciences, city and regional planning, electrical engineering, department of pharmacy and few other departments are still under control of male staff. Moreover, four slots of assistant controller examination have male staff appointed at them.

Pertinent to mention here is the LCWU Act only allows appointment of male staff at key posts only when competent female staff in not available for the post. But sources informed this scribe that the male staff is holding up administrative and faculty posts due to alleged favouritism and having strong linkage with political forces.

Sources said that Vice Chancellor Dr Uzma Qureshi wanted to put an end to male dominance at the LCWU but she was facing a massive resistance in this regard.

Talking about the male dominance at a women varsity, All Pakistan Women Association (APWA) Chief Operating Officer Dur-e-Shawar said that there was need to look into the matters of LCWU as whether the male staff was necessity of the varsity or they were planted. “If they are planted or need of the institution, then it should be ensured that they are not harmful for female staff and students,” she said adding females should be preferred in a female institution.

She added that the government had yet not properly implemented the WEP, which asked for at least 33 percent female appointment at every institution. She demanded the Higher Education Commission, Punjab Higher Education Ministry to take up the matter for necessary changes.

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Spokesman Ayesha said the HEC could not interfere in the varisty’s internal matter. “Varsities should follow their charter and according to LCWU’s charter male staff can be hired only if the female staff is available,” she said

When contacted, Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Director General did not show interest in talking about the matter. This scribe also tried to reach LCWU registrar for her point of view but she didn’t respond to repeated phone calls.

However, when contacted, LCWU Protocol Officer Anwar Khan said that several times the university has advertised the vacant posts but either female candidates didn’t apply against the posts or were not able to compete male candidates.

He said the LCWU would advertise some of the posts held by male staff in upcoming months and female candidates would be preferred depending upon their competency.