Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran’s legal authority to chair the Punjab University Syndicate remained the most heated discussion during 1720th meeting of the syndicate held on Saturday at PU New Campus. The syndicate members claimed the chairing of VC is legal and as per rules and regulations.

Reliable sources told Daily Times that all syndicate members, except one, had given “go ahead” to the vice chancellor for chairing the meeting. The debate among the members started after a syndicate member, belonging to opposite group, raised the issue that PU VC Dr Mujahid Kamran cannot chair the meeting as he was working as an incharge vice chancellor.

However, the rest of the syndicate members unanimously rejected this stance and agreed that the PU vice chancellor could chair the meeting as per rules and regulations since there is no legal that bar him from chairing the meeting as vice chancellor.

It is pertinent to mention that PU Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran was allowed by the Punjab chief minister to continue his duties as VC after completion of his second tenure. Dr Kamran was allowed to work against the post of incharge vice chancellor, which erupted massive debate among the teachers’ community of Punjab University. The matter was also discussed in Lahore High Court.

The 1720th meeting of Punjab University Syndicate, presided over by the PU vice chancellor, was held at the committee room of VC’s office. The meeting approved creation of various posts of assistant professors and associate professors in different departments of the university, besides approving inclusion of Children Hospital on the panel of Punjab University.

The meeting also approved registered graduates of Senate who have been recently elected in the PU Senate polls. The newly elected Senate members from registered graduates include Dr Kamran Abid, Dr Madiha Batool, Mujtaba Baqir and Raja Munawr Ali, who obtained 217, 205, 204 and 201 votes in the polls respectively.

The syndicate also approved anticipatory order of the vice chancellor regarding election of registered graduates. It approved recommendations of the finance and planning committee and proposed that the next meeting would be summoned in the next few days i.e. June 25, 2016.

Meanwhile, Punjab University Academic Staff Association President Prof Dr Sajid Rashid, Secretary Dr Mahboob Hussain and Vice President Prof Dr Abid Hussain Chaudhry have congratulated and expressed satisfaction over successful holding of PU Syndicate’s meeting.

In a press statement, they said that the pending issues of teachers had now getting resolved and the ASA leadership strongly condemned the elements that wanted to stop the meeting and make it controversial. They said that these elements also faced defeat when they approached high court in this regard. They said that the next meeting should be summoned soon so that issues pertaining to teachers could be resolved completely.