KARACHI: The Sindh government had dissolved the Managing Committee of Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) last month and also appointed an Administrator to carry out free and fair elections within 90 days, Daily Times has learnt. SPLA was registered under societies Act 1860 with Joint Stock Companies (JSC), the directorate of industries and commerce department, Sindh. The aim of SPLA was to represent colleges’ teaching faculties and to protect their rights through proper organizational forum. However, election of 2013 was altercated between two groups of the SPLA; known as Chandio group run by professor Yaqoob Chandio based in Hyderabad and Feroz group leading by Ferozuddin Siddique belonging to Karachi. During SPLA elections 2013, both the groups had formed their own election committees because of some ideological differences between them. Therefore both the groups had selected their own representatives and approached for the endorsement to the JSC at that time. JSC endorses the election of all its registered organizations and societies. In the case of SPLA, the JSC’s officials notified both groups and suggested them to resolve the dispute in the light of court orders. Since then, SPLA has not been playing an active role to resolve the issues and challenges faced by colleges’ lecturers and professors while there is no endorsed body of SPLA. Both these groups had however approached the Sindh High Court (SHC) in 2013 to resettle disputed election of 2013. After a long law battle the dispute was decided by SHC. On 1 January 2016, the SHC ordered to the Sindh government to appoint Administrators and conduct new election for SPLA through the secretary industries and commerce department. On 18th April, the department dissolved the Managing Committee of SPLA and appointed Mushtaq Ahmed Memon as Administrator to run the affairs of the association as per SHC orders. The department also nominated officials who will hold free and fair election during 90 days. After the election Administrator will hand over the office to the newly elected body. “Everybody knows the present body of SPLA is fake but some of the self claimed leaders have continued their illegal activities to gain their interest” central leader of the Chandio group, Yaqoob Chandio said, adding that any of the groups have no legal status, if anybody issues letters, or news releases on the letter head of SPLA that would be considered his personal view. The fake body misuses the platform of SPLA in the name of teachers because some the office holders are not only involved in financial embezzlement but recently the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) proved their involvement in the Cheating Scam in the on-going examination of the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi, Chandio blamed his opponents, the Feroz group. The Feroz Group of SPLA is also collecting membership forms and other fees through personal bank accounts which is a clear violation of the SHC orders. The group has also responded and used the platform of SPLA even a press statement was released on the letter head of SPLA which should be stopped further, he demanded. “We accept that our colleagues were engaged in organizational activities and they failed to before court therefore Chandio group took advantage of the absence and court issued orders against us”, Secretary General of the Feroz group, professor Ali Almurtaza said, adding that Chandio group is not a famous a group among the colleges’ teachers and could be combated easily in the next election of SPLA. Mushtaq Ahmed Memon, Administrator of the SPLA told Daily Times that Managing Committee of SPLA has been superseded for the period of three months. Both of the groups know better that Governing Body of the SPLA has been ceased to hold the office and they have been informed to stop their activities till the next election. “I manage the affairs of association to conduct free and fair election for the Executive Committee of SPLA and in the intervening period any of the groups would be not allowed to use the name of SPLA, platform and letterhead of the association except respective groups or panels” Memon stressed, added that if any group found in such practices that will be restrained from taking part in the coming election.