Riphah University VC gunned down

Student guns down vice principal at Riphah University
Rawalpindi, Sep 07: A medical student gunned down Brigadier (r) Sanaullah Khan, vice principal (VP) of the Islamic International Medical College (IIMC) of Riphah International University, located in old building of the Supreme Court of Pakistan along The Mall here on Tuesday morning, police said.

According to eyewitnesses, the attacker also aimed at two other officials of the university, Dr. Inaam (the head of the Community Medicine) and Registrar Ayaz Bhatti, but they narrowly escaped the wrath of the attacker. The dead body of Brigadier (r) Sanaullah Khan was shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital where it was handed over to his family after postmortem. The assailant, identified as Khurram Shahzad, opened fire on the vice principal when he was working in his office, police said, adding that a bullet hit his head causing his death on the spot.

Personnel of the 'Rescue-1122' rushed to the scene after receiving a call from the college administration. They overpowered the attacker with the gun and handed him over to the RA Bazaar Police, which reached the scene after about 50 minutes of the attack despite receiving information well in time. While, security personnel of the college, deployed at different points on the premises, claimed that five guards clutched the assailant when he was trying to escape after killing the vice principal.

A spokesman for the Islamic International Medical College (IIMC), Director Mansoor told the media that the attacker belonged to Rahimyar Khan and joined the medical college in 2002. He should have left the college in 2007 after completion of his MBBS, but he failed to pass his examinations. Mr. Mansoor said that Brigadier (r) Sanaullah was a renowned educationist and he established the Islamic International Medical College in 1995.

Eyewitnesses said that "At about 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Khurram Shahzad entered the office of Brigadier (r) Sanaullah Khan when he was busy in a meeting with Dr. Inaam and Registrar Ayaz Bhatti.

He started quarrelling and alleged that the vice principal was responsible for his failure. He pulled out his gun and shot at Brigadier (r) Sanaullah Khan when he reacted and asked him to leave his office immediately. He later shot at Dr. Inaam and Registrar Ayaz Bhatti, but they narrowly escaped.

He remained in the office even after the episode. In the meantime, personnel of the 'Rescue-1122' reached the scene and overpowered the student who was trying to run away from the scene. The rescuers snatched his gun and handed him over to police." SSP (Operations) Yaseen Farooq told journalists at the crime scene that the medical student has confessed his crime during preliminary investigation.

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Salary raise for vice chancellors approved
Islamabad: The increase in salaries, perks and privileges of vice chancellors (VCs) of federally-chartered public sector universities has been approved by the Finance Division, while a notification in this regard has been sent to the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

According to information, a letter no F4 (10) R-4/2002 dated August 25, 2011 has been sent to HEC informing it about the increase in the salary, perks and privileges of the VCs of public sector universities. The letter included four basic benefits given to VCs among which the first one is the raise in the basic salary of VC equivalent to the professor at Tenure Track System. A professor at Tenure Track System is getting a minimum salary of Rs180,000 and maximum salary of Rs312,000.

It also mentioned that the vice chancellor allowance would be 20 per cent of basic pay while the transport and medical facilities of VCs would be as per entitlement of BPS-22. The letter also mentioned that VCs would be given any other perk and privilege granted by the chancellor as deemed necessary under peculiar circumstances.

It is pertinent to mention here that the last meeting between HEC and finance division was held on July 20, 2011 in which the representatives of finance division proposed that salaries of VCs should be increased according to the size, structure, academic standing and location of the institution however, HEC didn t agree on it.

In a letter dated July 22, 2011, HEC clearly told finance division that defining salary structure for the VC on the basis of size, structure, academic standing and location of the institution is not attainable as the esteemed position of the VC refutes any disparity based on the mutable criteria.

HEC, in its letter, briefed that every academic institution has its individual significance and their size, structure and academic standards vary in great deal. Therefore, differentiating salaries of their VCs on such basis will not only have adverse effects on the pride associated with the post but would obstruct the appointment of acclaimed professionals in newly established universities.

The uniformity in salary package of the VCs of 13 federally chartered institutions will have financial implications of around Rs30 million per annum.

HEC Executive Director (ED) Dr. Sohail Naqvi confirmed that the Finance Ministry has approved the increase in the salary, perks and privileges of VC however, it is the chancellor whose approval is required to implement the increase. Now the proposal has been sent to the chancellors of the universities and the salaries would be increased only after their approval, he said.

Naqvi said that the same recommendation would be sent to the provincial government so that the VCs at provincial level could also be benefited. It is now up to the provincial governments whether they would implement the increase or not, but we are hoping that they would implement it, he said.

He said that earlier few VCs were given salaries according to MP-2 scale and some were given according to BPS 22 but now they would be paid according to special scale.

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RBISE students fail to submit forms
Rawalpindi: The future of hundreds of students, who fell victim to the online system adopted by the Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (RBISE), is at stake as the last date for the submission of fee for supplementary examinations lapsed on Tuesday and the students were unable to submit their forms either because of one error or the other caused by the system.

Most of the errors caused by the online system go to such extent that in some cases there are no roll numbers on the marks sheets, some don t have proper addresses and in some cases father s name of students were missing. While some student who had been brilliant throughout their academic careers failed in the exams while those who had a proven track record of being poorest of all had passed with flying colours thanks to the online system.

A large number of students Tuesday gathered in front of the Rawalpindi board office and raised hue and cry for rectification of the errors and early announced of their results.

It is worth mentioning here that RBISE announced annual matriculation results on August 2. However, the result of a large number of students were not declared at the initial stage because of the faulty online system and such students had to pay the price as Tuesday was the last date of submission of supplementary examination fees.

Sources from the RBISE said that they were under great pressure due to online system. We face abusive language from the students as well as their parents daily, but have no other option because the higher authorities are eager to continue the online system, they claimed.

A number of parents and students alleged that the staff at the RBISE was behind the failure of online system to what they alleged was a reason to continue their corruption.

A number of students standing in front of the RBISE office claimed that they daily come to board office to get their mark-sheets.

The students appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the anomalies in the RBISE and rectify the situation, as they were suffering because of the inefficiency of the board officials.

Those students who were failed in the examination alleged that they were paying the price of fault in the online system and also corruption on the part of the staff of the board. They demanded free of cost rechecking of papers.

On the other hand when we contacted Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Assistant Controller Nasrullah Jalab, he admitted the fact that students were facing difficulties due to computer mistakes in annual results of class 9th and 10th. He also admitted that they could not dispatch mark-sheets to several students on their proper addresses because computer did not has proper addresses and names of students. He said that no doubt online system is a complicated system, but they were trying to handle it. Now we are very busy in maintaining the annual results of first year and second year, which will be announced soon, he said. However, he rejected corruption charges against staff of the board.

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Mardan varsity
Peshawar: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday stayed appointment on one of the posts for lecturers in the Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, till further orders.

Shehnaz Bibi, a candidate for the post of pharmacy doctor in the university, had filed a writ petition in the high court, claiming that she had applied for the post and topped the merit list. She said despite being placed on top of the merit list, the university administration ignored her in the appointment. She appealed to the bench to direct the university administration appoint her on one of the vacant posts.

The court stayed appointment on one of the posts for lecturers in the university and issued notice to the university to explain its position during the next hearing. The news

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