Punjab University Law College controversy

PU controversy heats up
Lahore, Aug 01: The controversy over issuance of an explanation letter to Punjab University Law College's woman lecturer is heating up as the Punjab University Academic Alliance (PUAA) has announced its support along with the Faculty Strengthening Forum (FSF) for a resolution adopted by law college faculty members.

However, the PU Academic Staff Association condemned 'interference' in proceedings against the law college teacher on her 'misconduct'.

The PUAA has issued a circular, stating that the Punjab University is not anybody's personal property and condemned dictatorial rule in the university, which tantamount to violation of basic human rights. It demanded that the university withdraw the notice issued to the faculty member.

The PUAA led by Prof Dr Nasir Ahmad demanded that the Punjab government take notice of the issue of harassment of a woman lecturer and form a committee to bring out facts. Stressing that women faculty members should be respected, the Alliance demanded that the PUASA immediately call a general body meeting.

In a statement issued by PUASA general secretary Javed Sami, association office-bearers said the 'so-called' FSF was a branch of the Academic Group that was even not supported by a few teachers of the university. They said the basic purpose of the group was to create hurdles in the way of legal proceedings against Khujista Rehan.

The PUASA office-bearers said disciplinary action was being taken against Dr Mumtaz Anwar for forgery and Ms Rehan for her misconduct under the law because of which the defeated group was in trouble.

The PUASA office-bearers alleged that these elements were levelling baseless allegations to blackmail the university administration. They said teachers had the right to speak at ASA forum according to agenda using suitable language, but it was not meant for insulting or humiliating others. They said ASA members present in the previous general body meeting unanimously passed a resolution condemning the language used by Ms Rehan.

Dr Anwar said he did not commit any forgery and rejected PUASA office-bearers' claim that any disciplinary action had been initiated against him – yet.

Post your comments

Lecturer alleges harassment by VC
Lahore: A Punjab University Law College lecturer has leveled harassment charges against the Punjab University vice-chancellor (VC) for trying to punish her for refusing to bow against his illegitimate demands.

In a four-page complaint submitted with the Punjab Ombudsperson office on Tuesday subsequent submission of the complaint to the VC office on July 26, Law College lecturer Khujista Rehan alleged VC Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran was punishing her for her refusal to provide him with sexual favours. "You need to know that there are women with strong moral fiber, who can fight till the end," she says.

Ms Rehan faces an explanation letter by the university administration for using 'insulting language' against the VC at the PU Academic Staff Association's June 20 general body meeting.

The PU additional registrar dubbed Ms Rehan's letter malafide, malicious and replete with false statements. Stating that the VC has never implicitly conveyed any such advances, the register said the VC was instead avoiding meeting her "keeping in mind your typical tactics of using sexual harassment against any person who does not succumb to your terms".

The harassment history, according to Mr Rehan, has been going on for the last six years. The lecturer has also submitted the complaint with the Punjab Ombudsperson's office as well as forwarded it to the chief justice of Pakistan, the Higher Education Commission, the Punjab governor (also the chancellor), the chief minister and the higher education secretary.

Ms Rehan wrote that in the last six years the VC, in person, communicated to her: "If you want me to stop inquiry letters (against you), you should do as whatever I tell you to do". Stating that she had no proof of that communication therefore, she kept silent and faced inquiries. She said career women tended to stay silent to avoid ensuing public nuisance and insult, if they pointed out harassment.

She found an escape in higher studies abroad. Once she came back, inquires were initiated against her.

Ms Rehan has invoked the third part of the harassment definition: "Causing interference with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment".

She also quoted an SMS forwarded by the VC from his official cell phone on April 12, 2013, that she was asking time to meet him but using very rubbish language. She alleged the VC had SMSed her to pressure her.

"The end result you wanted to achieve is that, I should come into stress and take note of your immoral demands which previously, you, in person, made before I went to Australia," she stated. She alleged that the VC had also ordered an unsubstantiated inquiry against her when she had applied for study leave in February 2010.

Upon return from Australia, Ms Rehan stated that she was refused rejoining without any explanation and added that her pay was stopped when she was studying in Australia. She said she was allowed to rejoin on the interference of the governor (chancellor) in March 2011 but her annual increments had been stopped since 2010. She stated the VC took her case to Syndicate and without quoting any law decided that pay and increments should not be given, for which the case was subjudice.

In a rejoinder on behalf of VC, the additional registrar in a two-page reply stated that the VC never victimised her and added that the complainant had a long history of aggression and use of abusive language.He stated the VC never verbally or otherwise communicated that he would stop all inquiry letters, if she would do as whatever he would tell her" as alleged. He said the VC was instead avoiding meeting her because of her "typical tactics". He stated that Ms Rehan had abused and physically assaulted her senior colleague Dr Farah Kanwal, associate professor of chemistry, who got registered an FIR and initiated court proceedings.

Referring to VC's SMS, the additional registrar said the VC did send her the message but the matter rested after her clarification. He also termed Ms Rehan's statement regarding immoral demands made on her as utterly false allegation.

The additional registrar also stated that Ms Rehan's letter was malafide because she wrote it after the explanation letter issued to her. He also stated that Ms Rehan had gone abroad without having even applied for any leave to avoid facing several inquiries pending against her. Dawn

Post your comments

GCU merit list on August 7
Lahore: Government College University Lahore will display its first merit list for admissions to the intermediate classes on August 7 while Friday August 2 is fixed as last date for receiving admission forms.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday, GCU spokesman said that last date to submit intermediate admission forms would not be extended and no form would be accepted after the due date. The spokesman said that GCU Admission Office was providing complete admission information on the university website as well as on its official page on Facebook.

The interviews and trails for the reserved seats of sports and extracurricular activities will begin from August 3, 2013.

Post your comments

AIOU announces result of FA exams
Islamabad: The Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has announced the final results of its FA programme for the Autumn Semester 2012 and placed the results on its website (www.aiou.edu.pk).  

This was announced by AIOU Controller of Examinations Dr. Hamid Khan Niazi. Results cards, he said, are being sent by post to the students. If any student does not receive his or her result card till August 20, he or she should contact the deputy controller examinations (Abid Hussain Satti) personally or on his telephone number 051-9057648. He said that the students can also download their results from the AIOU website (www.aiou.edu.pk).

Post your comments

RBISE announces schedule for SSC supplementary examinations
Rawalpindi: The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Rawalpindi, on Wednesday announced the schedule for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Supplementary Examination, which would start on September 12.

According to the schedule issued by the board officials, the candidates could submit their admission forms online till August 12.

The fee for regular students belonging to Arts Group is Rs600 for reappearing in the 9th class subjects. Similarly, candidates intending to reappear in the 10th class subjects have to pay an equal amount of Rs600.

The regular candidates of Science Group have to pay Rs650 both for Part-1 and Part-II subjects on the scheduled date for reappearing in the examination.

The candidates of the General Group have to deposit an amount of Rs650 on the scheduled date.

The composite fees fixed by the board for Arts Group candidates is Rs1,200 while Science Group as well as General Group candidates have to deposit Rs1,300 for the supplementary examination.

According to the officials, private candidates of the Arts Group reappearing in the Part-I and Part-II examinations have to deposit Rs650 fee within the scheduled date. The composite fee for them has been fixed at Rs1,200.

While the private candidates of Science Group and General Group for both Part-I and Part-II have to deposit Rs700, while the fee of Rs1,300 has been fixed for the composite students.

However, the private candidates of Arts Group appearing in the supplementary examination for the first time have been directed to deposit Rs800 as registration fees along with admission fees.

Moreover, all intending candidates, both private and regular, have to get admission forms at the rate of Rs200. The candidates applying through computer have to pay download fee of Rs200 along with the admission form fees.

All admission forms should reach the office of BISE by September 12. Similarly, the last date for submission of forms with double fees is September 16 while the last date with triple fees is August 20.

For getting further information and clearing other matters related to the examination and fee schedule, the interested candidates could visit BISE website (www.biserwp.edu.pk).

Post your comments

Grammar Public School students shine in SSC exam
Rawalpindi: Students of the Grammar Public School, Saidpur Road, Satellite Town showed 100% result in the Secondary School Certificate examination of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi, says a press release.

Saba Nimal got 943 marks and bagged first position and gold medal in the board in General Science Group.

Among girls, Aqsa Malik got first position with 1000 marks in the school, Zarnab Rizwan stood second with 989 marks and Shahneel Fatima stood third with 987 marks.

In Science Group: among boys, Hafiz Muhammad Ahsan Khalid got first position by obtaining 990 marks, Muhammad Marwan Sheikh stood second with 987 marks and Muhammad Yousaf got 3rd position with 975 marks.

Over all 107 students got A+ grade while 25 got A and only 3 students got B grade. In the general group of the school also showed 100% result. The Administrator of the School, Shamim Haider Syed congratulated all the students, parents, and teachers on the excellent result and declared gold medal and cash prizes for the successful candidates in the annual prize distribution ceremony. The news

Post your comments