QAU told to submit reply to teacher`s petition

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued notice to the vice chancellor and registrar of the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) on a petition filed by a teacher.

The court directed them to submit, within a fortnight, a reply to the petition that accuses the QAU administration of `unlawful conduct` in the faculty appointment procedures.

Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad, an associate professor at the school of politics and international relations (SPIR) of the QAU, who currently serving as the Quaid-i-Azam Fellow at Oxford University, in his petition alleged that despite seniority and academic qualification his candidature for the post of professor was not considered by the university administration.

Two posts of professor at the SPIR were advertised in March 2013. In July 2013, a scrutiny committee while rejecting Dr Ahmad`s candidature approved the applications of two junior faculty members.

The petition alleged that none of the two applicants was academically qualified for the positions.

In January this year, after the selection board also recommended the two cases, an inquiry committee was set up on Dr Ahmad`s request to investigate illegalities in the case. A report was later submitted to the VC, the petition stated.

However, the VC refused to provide a copy of the inquiry report to Dr Ahmad saying, `It contains sensitive information.

The reason for this refusal, said the petition, was that the inquiry report had exposed the gross misconduct of the QAU administration, especially the registrar, in the case.