QAU Vice Chancellor Under Fire Over Irregularities & Malpractices

Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) is one of the most prestigious academic institutes of Pakistan, however, the university has earned a bad name for itself due to poor administration in recent times. The Academic Staff Association on Monday held a press conference where they accused the current Vice Chancellor of the shortcomings of the university. They further highlighted the fact that because of the malpractices and irregularities of the QAU administration, the institute has declined in the last four years.

ASA complained that QAU was governed without a permanent registrar, deputy registrar, controller examinations, treasure, director planning and purchase officer. The association further alleged that the academic heads, deans, and chairperson were appointed on an ad-hoc basis.

The ASA president said, “The fledgling department of linguistics has been closed and the prestigious department of management sciences almost destroyed.”

He added that HEC was instructed to conduct an inquiry into the affairs of QAU by the president/chancellor in 2016. The report was submitted by the inquiry committee in February 2017 and held the Vice-Chancellor responsible for gross violations of the institution and recommended his immediate termination.

Furthermore, the VC was accused of victimizing particular faculty members and hiring people with dubious credentials at higher posts of the university.

The accusations on VC of QAU by the AAS:

• Despite the government ban on the purchase of a vehicle, the VC bought a new car for himself.
• Millions of rupees were spent on the renovation, construction, and furniture of the VC house while receiving house rent amounting to millions of rupees every year.
• Risked Rs 750 million of the university funds by making private investments with low-rating banks.

Admissions and oversaturation of the students in the BS programs were by 50% last year. Taking notice of the rift between the faculty and the VC, the federal minister of education formed a committee in March 2018 to investigate the matter but the committee could not finalize its findings since the members of the committee were being harassed by the Vice Chancellor. ASA has filed a case against the current VC of QAU in Islamabad High court for allegedly victimizing the faculty.

Also present in the press conference was the president of the Federation of All Pakistan University Academic Staff Association along with members of the Officers Welfare Association and the Employees Welfare Association.

When contacted, VC Javed Ashraf, accused ASA of making non-issues an issue. “They are just building pressure and their allegations are baseless,” he said.

Via Dawn