Daily Times

Illegal appointments and promotions of teaching cadres are not the only matter of concern in the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), many irregularities are committed by varsity administration while promoting non-teaching officials as well, Daily Times has learnt reliably.

According to a document available with Daily Times, the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) of the university has promoted 16 officials into next grade in BPS-17, BPS-18 and BPS-19 allegedly in violation of the pre-set criteria. The document said that among non-teaching officials who were promoted include Deputy Directors (BPS-18) Ayaz Ali, Muhammad Sajjad Siddiqui and Naseer Ahmed Abbasi; Assistant Directors (BPS-17) Rustam Khan, Saqib Rashid and Maryam Javed; Superintendents (BPS-17) Ali Rehman, Junaid Shafi, Tanveer Ahmed Kishwar and Saira Qayyom Gondal; Assistants Network/System Administrators (BPS-17) Hameed Ali, Saud Shehzad and Muhammad Shehzad; Assistant Director Civil (BPS-17) Muhammad Tazhar Qureshi and Assistant Private Secretaries (BPS-17) Abdul Hameed and Farooq Ahmad Sharif.

The deputy directors (BPS-18) were promoted to director (BPS-19), assistant directors promoted to deputy directors, superintendents promoted to assistant directors, assistants network/system administrators promoted to assistant directors (network), assistant director civil promoted as deputy director civil, assistant private secretaries promoted to private secretaries.

According to the criteria, such posts are to be filled by two categories as 50 percent by promotion (of existing employees) and rest 50 percent through direct or new appointment. However, as per information available with Daily Times, all the positions were filled through promotion.

A university official wishing anonymity said that it is highly regretful that educated youth are running from pillar to the post in search for jobs while top of the university is busy in favouritism by promoting even some of the ‘dead wood’. “It will certainly create disappointment among the young talent,” he maintained.

Interestingly, the DPC letter has been signed by the then Director HR Hassan Aftab, who himself holds objectionable credentials. The university appointed Aftab as Additional Director in 2011 on the basis of his MBA degree that is a requirement for the post. He holds MBA (executive) from Institute of Leadership Management Lahore in 1998. After his appointment, Aftab was asked by the university administration either to provide an HEC equivalence certificate of MBA (executive) or proper MBA degree that he never provided. However, in a letter, the HEC had confirmed that MBA executive is a diploma of 15 years of education and not equivalent to MBA (16 years of education).

The official said that these promotions are an open and shut case which one needs only 15 minutes to decide. “It is a classic example of nepotism and illegal promotions,” he said. “It is an irony that a person got two promotions with a fake degree and is now working as Director Transport in BPS- 20. So far, most of the fake appointments were done during the time period he was working as director HR,” he explained.

Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai, when contacted, said that as head of Board of Governors (BoG), he just endorsed the promotions. “To check the criteria of such appointments and promotions is the task of the DPC which is headed by IIUI president,” he said, adding that the IIUI president can be in a better position to explain this matter.

Acting President Dr Aqdas Naveed Malik through university media wing claimed in a written reply that there were no anomalies in promotion/upgradation of its non-academic officials. “The promotions had been made as per prescribed promotion criteria and instructions of the Board of Governors (BoG) with the approval of competent authority on recommendations of DPC,” he maintained, adding that the remaining 50 percent posts falling in direct quota through selection will be filled as per need in the due course of time through a competitive process by conducting selection board and seeking approval of the competent authority.