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
| 
