Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The head of department should be role-model for his subordinates of any institution, but country’s number one educational institution Quid-i-Azam University (QAU) presents otherwise picture as its Vice Chancellor (VC) enjoying official residence but paying nothing, Daily Times has learnt.

Javed Ashraf, VC, QAU residing in official house since his appointment on the position, the documents available with Daily Times revealed, adding that from the first day, the VC has not paid a single penny to national exchequer in return of the residence he used.

Ashraf was appointed by President Secretariat on October 13, 2014. Since his appointment the government provided him a House No.A-5 located in the university residential colony. He was asked in his appointment papers that the house rent allowance would be deducted from his monthly salary.

The documents further stated that university finance department did not follow this strategy as Rs 1.235 million are due with VC Ashraf.

An official on the condition of anonymity said that it was onus of varsity’s treasure to deduct this amount (house rent charges) from the VC’s salary. “The treasure restrained himself to do this because the VC forbidden him”, he added.

However, the treasurer Shams ud Din was not available to have his version on the issue.

According to perks and privileges declared in his appointment agreement, the basic salary would be equivalent to that of a Professor at Tenure Track System (TTS), Vice Chancellor allowance 20 per cent of the basic pay would be given as well as transport and medical facility as per entitlement of BPS-22. Beside these facilities the VC enjoys no other benefits.

Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) said in his Audit Report obtained by this correspondent that non-recovery of house rent allowance from VC was ‘irregular’ and ‘unauthorised’ which resulted in the loss of Rs 1.235 million from November 2014 to May 2016 to the university.

The VC Ashrf, when contacted, admitted the fact saying, “I am not only VC who is enjoying this perk, all my previous predecessors also got this benefit”.

Surprisingly, he also said that the deduction of money is not his responsibility instead this is of accounts section.