Daily Times

There seem to be no rules in place in International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) as 27 senior faculty members are working without having fulfilment of criteria set by Higher Education Commission (HEC) for inductions and promotions of the respective positions.

The HEC also seems slumbering and endeavoured on mere issuance of letters. The Commission never bothered to take any stern action over its own recommendations that declared the IIU faculty as defaulter of the required criteria.

According to the document available with Daily Times, the human resource department of IIU elevated non-qualifying faculty members to the ranks of Professors and Associate Professors in BPS-20 and BPS-21 respectively by deceiving the Selection Board and the BoG. The documents stated that 16 Professors and 11 Associate Professors, employed at various departments of the varsity, lacked the required number of research publications in HEC recognized journals.

According to the HEC criteria, the Professor should have PhD from a recognized Institution in the relevant field with 15-years teaching or research experience in any Higher Education Institution. More importantly, the candidate for this slot must have 15 research publications with at least 5 publications in the last 5 years in HEC recognized journals.

The list of Professors with objectionable credential includes Dr Muhammad Munir of Shariah and Law department. He has only 9 Publications in HEC recognized journals, Dr Munawar Iqbal Gondal and Dr. Saifur Rehman Abbasi retired from English and Sociology departments respectively have total 10 and 11 Publications.

Among other Professors, Dr Muhammad Amir of Electronic Engineering lacks 10 research Publications. He also allegedly obtained an MS degree with 100 percent plagiarized thesis. Surprisingly, he has been appointed as Director QEC and then Dean faculty of Engineering and Technology. Similarly, Dr Hafiz Muhammad Bashir of Arabic department has shortage of 6 Publications. He also has been appointed as Dean for two consecutive tenures while currently he is serving as Dean.

As per document, other Professors lacking of research publications included as Dr Muhammad Tahir Hakim Shariah and Law department, Dr Fazlullah of Arabic department, Dr Muhammad Ali Ghory Arabic department, Dr Inam ul Haq Ghazi Arabic department, Dr Abdul Hayee Abro Shariah and Law department, Dr Ayaz Afsar English department, Dr. Muhammad Tahir Khalily Psychology department, Dr. Abdul Jalil Electronic Engineering department.

Besides this, Prof Dr. Muhammad Sajid of Mathematics department holds no teaching experience in any academic institution as required in the HEC criteria. Moreover, according to the document, another senior professor of the mathematics department not only lacks required research papers but also have suspicious PhD degree. His promotion as Professor was also questionable.

According to the HEC rules, for the appointment of Associate Professor the applicant should have PhD in relevant subject with 10 years teaching experience at any higher studies institute. Besides this, he/she must have 10 research publications in HEC recognized journals.

The Associate Professors lacking HEC criteria included as Dr. Naseem Razi and Dr Muhamad Mushtaq of Shariah and Law department with shortage of 6 and 8 Publications respectively. Currently, Dr Mushtaq is also holding the charge of Director General, Sharia Academy. Dr Muhammad Ibrar Shinwari Chairman the Department at Environmental Science has deficit of 6 Publications.

The other Associate Professors who are not up to the HEC’s set requirement of the research publications included as retired Dr Habib ur Rehman Asim and Dr Shair Ali Khan of Arabic Department, Dr Munazza Yaqoob English department, Dr Mujeeb Ahmed History Department, Dr. Azhar Mahmood and Dr M Munir Kayani of Education Department, Dr. Saeed Badshah Mechanical Engineering Department, Dr. Suhail Abdullah Electronic Engineering Department.

Interestingly, HEC through an official letter to the varsity, copy of which is available with Daily Times, had confirmed the said defficicies by Associate Professors and Professors.

An official said while wishing anonymity that these all unlawful appointments and promotions were made with the approval of Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai, who had some vested interests in this move.

The document suggests that other than faculty members, a large number of non-teaching members are also appointed in violation of basic rules.

The official recalled that in this move the everyone in the varsity “made hay while the sun shines.”

Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai claimed that a committee has been constituted to probe the matter. “we will take strict action as per recommendations of the committee.”

According to the document, a three-member probe committee headed by Vice Chancellor Allama Iqbal Open University Dr. Zia Ul Qayyum was formed in February to examine the eligibility of the said faculty. However, not a single meeting could be held of this committee thus for.

The officials maintained that such committees are nothing except time wastage, adding that it was useless as HEC already clearly informed the university regarding deficiencies.