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Top academics’ huddle: VCs condemn political intervention

ISLAMABAD: The 17th Vice-Chancellors’ Committee meeting held at a local hotel on Saturday saw over 60 heads of various public-sector universities vent their frustration against political pressure they face on various matters.

The meeting was dominated by discussion on political pressure from various elected government representatives that concerned university heads.

Since the media was not allowed to cover the event, The Express Tribunetalked to the vice-chancellors’ on and off the record about the happenings of the day.

Political pressure

The University of Sargodha (UoS) Vice-Chancellor Dr Muhammad Akram said three members of the Punjab provincial assembly were also members of the institute’s syndicate and had been pressuring the administration concerning appointments on certain positions.

He said the MPAs later took the matter to the Punjab chief minister and started a campaign to get him removed from his position just because he had refused to succumb to their pressure.

Another official of the UoS said they had not held a syndicate meeting since March 26, 2014.

Another VC of a university in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa discussed how the brother of a provincial lawmaker misbehaved with the head of the University of Swabi.

The lawmaker’s brother was interested in the appointment of an individual from his native village.

A vice-chancellor of a university from Punjab shared his story as to how MNA Abid Sher Ali threatened him and misbehaved with him in his office over the issue of appointments.

Some other varsity heads demanded removal of politicians from the governing body or syndicate committee of universities to do away with pressure from the non-academics.

Moreover, the passage of the K-P Universities Act that takes powers away from the governor, who holds the position of chancellor of the universities and concentrates them in the hands of the chief minister, and a similar situation in Sindh, was also discussed at the meeting. Some participants termed it giving powers in the hands of the bureaucracy.

University of Haripur VC Dr Nasir Ali Khan demanded a discussion on the matter, which he claimed would damage the cause of higher education.

“It will be disastrous if the powers go to the baboos (bureaucracy) as the academics will be left high and dry at the hands of those who have nothing to do with education directly,” he remarked.

The HEC chairperson said the autonomy of varsities must be protected as turning them into political power houses would serve nothing rather add to the problems.

The VCs as well as the HEC chairperson, later in a resolution, also condemned such events and demanded from the federal and provincial governments to take account of such developments.

Sub-campuses

Another issue discussed was the mushroom growth of sub-campuses. According to the dossier handed over to the VCs by the HEC, a severe decline in the quality of higher education has been observed during the past few years due to poor and substandard institutions.

VCs also agreed to close the MS and PhD programmes at sub-campuses.

2013-14: HEC set to launch varsities rankings

ISLAMABAD: After a delay and struggle in collecting authentic data, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) is all set to launch the second nationwide university rankings on Monday (today).

The HEC 2013-14 Ranking will be formally launched at its headquarters at noon where its chairperson Dr Mukhtar Ahmed will be the chief guest.

The first such ranking was released in July 2013 for the year 2012 which was the first ever release of varsity positions by HEC. After that release, HEC was accused of giving preferential position to some universities and leaving a few far behind.

The ranking criterion is based on several factors including adherence to quality assurance in the appointment of faculty, student intake, and quality of MS, MPhil and PhD programmes.

Besides, the HEC for the last year has been struggling to collect authentic data.

Too little, too late?: CDA takes action against illegal housing societies

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Sunday initiated action against illegal housing societies in the city and demolished partial structures in two such colonies.

The two societies, Paradise Housing Scheme and Eden Life, are located in Zone-IV, which alone houses around 64 illegal housing schemes. There are 109 unapproved housing schemes operating within the municipal limits of the civic agency.

The long-due action came after Special Assistant to Prime Minister Barrister Zafarullah Khan took notice of the issue of illegal housing societies. Khan was given the current portfolio after he resigned from the post of law secretary in November 2014.

“Khan has been taking special interest in the affairs of the CDA,” said a board member of the authority who appeared a bit annoyed and questioned the grounds on which “Khan is overseeing CDA affairs.”

In the recent past, Khan also took presentations from the CDA Board at the authority’s headquarters, where he was briefed about ongoing projects and other issues, the officer said.

The official added that Khan had recently directed the authority to send him a copy of every published news item related to the CDA. He issues necessary directions to the authority against every news item, the official said further.

Sunday’s action was also taken following Khan’s directions.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Khan said he had been trying to streamline the affairs of CDA. “It’s just the beginning. Things will start moving in right direction soon,” he said.

Referring to reservations of CDA officers about his “interference” in the authority, Khan said he was a special assistant to the PM on parliamentary affairs and overseeing affairs of the CDA was part of his job.

“Rules of Business 1973 are pretty much clear. Prior to sharing reservations, the CDA officers should go through the rules,” Khan said, adding that the CDA was an attached department of the Cabinet Division, and being an adviser on parliamentary affairs he was mandated to look into its affairs.

According to a press statement issued by the authority, “Enforcement staff of the authority along with officials of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration and Islamabad Police took action against Paradise Housing Scheme located at Lehtrar Road and demolished a boundary wall, outer periphery and opening face of the society.” The civic agency had already served notices on the illegal housing scheme.

The CDA also took action against Eden Life housing scheme and removed sign boards of the society from Lehtrar Road, the statement said.

As many as 64 illegal housing schemes are currently operating in Zone-IV, 16 in Zone-II and Zone-III and 29 in Zone-V of the city. Under the CDA laws, all construction activities are banned in Zone-III — a national park area — but six illegal schemes still operate there.

CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal has directed the department concerned to peruse the cases vigorously for early vacation of stay orders that illegal societies have obtained from the courts. He said CDA would take up the mater with SNGPL, Wapda and PTCL who have provided different facilities and services in these housing societies without issuance of a mandatory no-objection certificate from CDA.

Pakistan recall Malik, Sami for Zimbabwe ODIs

LAHORE: Former captain Shoaib Malik and fast bowler Mohammad Sami have been recalled to the Pakistan one-day squad for the three-match series against Zimbabwe starting on Tuesday.

Malik, 33, played the last of his 216 one-dayers in the 2013 Champions Trophy against India and 34-year-old Sami has not been part of an ODI squad since June 2012.

Both were part of the Twenty20 squad that sealed a 2-0 series win over Zimbabwe on Sunday as Pakistan welcomed top-level international cricket back to the country after a six-year absence after militants attacked a Sri Lanka team bus in 2009.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was left out for the matches at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also remained optimistic of playing arch-rivals India in a full series in the United Arab Emirates or any other mutually agreed venue in December.

“PCB is now expecting the government of India’s permission for the revival of the series in the near future particularly after [Indian] Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public indication that his government would support the revival of the cricket series,” the PCB said in a statement.

ODI squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Anwar Ali, Hammad Azam, Imad Wasim, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Junaid Khan.

IHC reinstates Chaudhry Rashid as chairman Pemra

ISLAMABAD: Chaudhry Rashid was reinstated on Monday as Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) by the Islamabad High Court, Express News reported.

The federal government had removed Rashid from his post on December 15, 2013. He was appointed chairman of the government’s media watchdog on January 28, 2013, after a ruling by the apex court barred the acting Pemra chairman Dr Abdul Jabbar from holding office.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Development Khawaja Asif had challenged Rashid’s appointment in the Supreme Court. Asif argued that Rashid’s appointment was not carried out in accordance with the January 15 order of the apex court regarding the vacant Pemra chairman’s office.

Rashif told IHC that as per the law, he cannot be removed from office during his three-year tenure.

On December 24, 2014, members of the Pemra Officers Welfare Association (POWA) had also accused the Pemra chairman of fabricating cases against them and threatening them with dire consequences.

Read: PEMRA chief accused of malpractice, harassment

A statement issued by POWA’s secretary-general Amjad Ali claimed that Rashid was threatening its members ever since he was reinstated. The threats were being issued by Ahmed’s relatives and supporters who were illegally employed in the organisation, he added.

Rashid had allegedly appointed over 100 relatives in Pemra, the application said urging the court to annul these contractual appointments and ask the FIA to expedite its inquiry against Rashid.