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NWFP Governor sacked Kohat University VC
KOHAT, Oct 2: NWFP Governor Lt-Gen Ali Mohammad Jan Orakzai is reported
to have sacked the vice-chancellor of the Kohat University of Science and
Technology, following confirmation of allegations against him by the governor’s
inspection team. It may be mentioned that the vice-chancellor was expecting a
service extension.
The university had been without a vice-chancellor for
more than two weeks because of the governor’s preoccupation in the Waziristan
Agency. He had also been summoned to brief US officials on the recent peace deal
in the Waziristan Agency.
It is learnt that the action was taken after an
anonymous letter was dispatched to the chancellor, accusing the vice-chancellor
of misusing authority in the award of contract to build the university’s new
campus to one of his favourites. It also cited the handing over of the contract
for the university’s canteen to his maternal uncle allegations involving women’s
students being exploited by young staff members and their subsequent
blackmailing.
The inquiry team, which visited the university a few months
ago, submitted a ‘bad’ report about the vice-chancellor after verifying
documents and interviewing women students involved.
A copy of a
complaint, which was addressed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf, was made
available to this correspondent in which the vice-chancellor had termed his
removal ‘unethical’. It was also signed by a few of the university staff
members. It said that the action would have a long lasting impact on higher
education and hurt the government’s policy of enlightened
moderation.
Under the heading ‘vulnerabilities of the incumbency and
pleasure of the chancellor’, they questioned that if he could be removed on the
basis of a single anonymous letter, then “what about an anonymous letter to the
president against the governor? Will the president not be justified in taking a
unilateral action against the governor; without giving him the opportunity to
clarify his position; or without giving him the benefit of doubt?
They
regretted that such enquiries had left ‘very negative bearings’ on the women
students’ psyche, as Kohat was less developed, relatively poor and conservative
area. ‘Has the Governor not been trapped by the mullah-cracy?’ the letter
questioned.
They said that the complainant had somehow succeeded in
convincing the governor of his innocence and of the (presumed) guilt of Dr
Shinwari by copying documents from personal files of the staff, a crime
punishable under the Official Secrets Act, 1969. But in this case, the letter
regretted, action was taken against the vice-chancellor only.
It said
that so far, the governor had no in-house meeting with the vice-chancellors of
the province: His only interest (had been) in universities is to accommodate his
(favourites) on important positions.
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| Education News | | Updated: 21 May, 2013 |
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