Lahore: LHC cancels appointment of PU VC's newly wed 2nd wife as principal

[Naveed Yaseen]

Vice chancellor’s wife in hot water:

* Court says no serious attempt was made to fill vacant post

LAHORE: Justice Hafiz Tariq Nasim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has removed Punjab University (PU) Law College Principal Shazia Qureshi, who is also the wife of PU Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Mujahid Kamran, from her post, ruling that her appointment was tainted with nepotism.

The judge held that Qureshi might be foreign qualified, but was an assistant professor in the college. The judge held that according to the university calendar and the University of the Punjab Act, 1973, the principal should only be appointed by the syndicate on the recommendation of the VC from amongst three senior most professors.

“In the light of these unambiguous provisions, I am of the view that VC Dr Mujahid Kamran has exercised his powers arbitrarily to promote nepotism, favouritism and non-transparency,” the judge ruled.

The judge observed under the rules, one dean was given additional charge of dean at the Law College, but he was not allowed to look after its affairs. However, Qureshi, who was on a lower pedestal than these two posts (principal and dean), was handed over the prestigious institution only to please her after she married the VC.

The marriage is their personal affair and it is not the duty of the court to comment on it, but the fact remains that such favouritism, nepotism and illegal exercise of powers allows public at large to raise fingers and voice, he said.

The judge also disagreed with Qureshi’s counsel that her appointment was a stopgap arrangement due to the non-availability of a professor or an associate professor, ruling that no serious attempt was made to fill the vacant posts. These posts were advertised in December 2008, but no progress had been made in this regard, conveying a message that in the case of appointment of a professor, Qureshi would not be able to retain her position.

The judge held that this novel way was adopted to let Qureshi continue as the principal despite lacking the eligibility criteria. Ten months had lapsed since she was given the charge of the principal, but no progress had been made to fill the posts.

The judge declared the office of the principal as vacant due to illegal and unlawful appointment by the VC. The judge directed that the post should be filled through fresh appointment and a person possessing the requisite eligibility should be given additional charge of the principal for an interim period.

The judge issued the directions while partially accepting the petition of an advocate, Ammara Akbar, seeking her admission in Master in Legislative Law (LLM) and challenged the appointment of the law college principal.

The judge rejected the petitioner’s plea for admission in the LLM classes by observing she did not meet the merit and as such she could not claim her admission.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg13_2