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| India-Pakistan |
| University bodies resent thrashing of professor |
| 2010-02-08 |
| [The News (Pak) Top Stories] The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA) has strongly condemned the thrashing of Prof Tahir Malik by Brig (retd) Obaidullah Ranjha at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML). In a statement, Prof Kaleemullah Barheech (President), Dr Abdul Quddus Suhaib (Vice-President) and Badar Soomro (General Secretary) condemned the harsh treatment of an academician by a retired military officer, who was "illegally appointed" in the NUML. Calling it a mean and shameful incident, the FAPUASA office-bearers called for immediate removal of Ranjha from the post of the registrar. They regretted that FAPUASA had already demanded the appointment of serving professors as vice-chancellors in the universities but the demand had not yet been accepted by the Higher Education Commission. They reiterated the demand of removing ex-army officers and retired bureaucrats from the top positions, including administrative ones, from all universities in the country. The federation warned that it would start a protest campaign in all universities if the retired brigadier was not immediately removed from the post of the registrar, NUML. Academic Staff Association, Quaid-i-Azam University, also strongly condemned the incident of violence against a professor at NUML. Reacting strongly to the drama, Dr Eatzaz Ahmad, President ASA, recommended immediate dismissal of Brig (retd) Ranjha from service. He said the practice of appointing Army officers as administrative heads of universities is an insult to academics and this practice should be ended. He also appealed to President Asif Zardari and governors of the four provinces, who are chancellors of public-sector universities, to remove all Army officers from universities so that they can function as independent academic institutions. The ASA head said if the NUML registrar was not removed, the QAU ASA will soon formulate a course of action. Dr Gulraiz Akhter, ASA Secretary, QAU, said Brig (retd) Ranjha should be immediately suspended pending the inquiry. He said no one expects such behaviour from the educated people and that also against an academician. Another QAU faculty member said even in the universities run by armed forces, the VCs or rectors should be academicians. He said if the HEC envisages VCs in public sector universities to be those possessing the qualifications required by a full professor, including a PhD degree, the same criteria should be applied to universities like NUST, NDU, Behria and Air Universities. Otherwise, he said, the HEC should cancel their charters and revoke degree awarding status of such institutions. QAU alumni association, Quaideen, also condemned the brutal treatment of a respected professor, who is also a member of Quaideen at the hands of an ex-Army officer. They expressed dismay and surprise that the incident is taking place at a time when the country is being run by a democratic government. Talking to The News, Asif Noor, secretary of the alumni, appealed to President Zardari to remove all ex-Army officers from academic and administrative posts by acting as chancellor of federal universities, especially from NUML as per standards already set by the HEC for the post of vice-chancellors/rectors. |
| Posted by:Fred |