GU at the verge of severe crisis as assets distribution approved
Gomal University Syndicate’s 122nd meeting gave formal approval of the decisions of the provincial cabinet over assets distribution between newly formed Agriculture University, Dera Ismail Khan and Gomal University, says an official handout.
After implementation of the decision of the 122nd meeting of the syndicate, many important departments of Gomal University will be merged with Agriculture University due to which all the key administration posts in Gomal University will become vacant.
At present, the additional charge of Vice-Chancellor Gomal University (GU) has also been given to the Vice-Chancellor of Agriculture University, D I Khan Prof. Dr. Masroor Elahi Babar after the VC GU Prof. Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed has been sent to forced leave by the Acting Governor KP/ Chancellor Gomal University Mushtaq Ghani.
In the meeting of a joint syndicate of Gomal University and Agriculture University to be held in Peshawar on September 24, it has been decided that the assets of Gomal University, including the Veterinary College of Animal Sciences, should be given to the Agriculture University, while the administration officers at key positions will also be transferred to the Agricultural University along with their equipment and supplies.
According to the decisions taken in the meeting of the Syndicate, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Food Sciences, Gomal Center for Biochemistry and Biotechnology established in Gomal University (promoted by a selection board after the court decision regarding the selection board of GCBB) employees of the said departments will be transferred to the Agriculture University with new posts.
Registrar Gomal University Dr. Naimatullah Babar, Deputy Registrar Dr. Ihtram Ullah, Controller of Examinations Dr. Safdar Baloch, University’s sole Dean Dr. Shakibullah of Veterinary College of Animal Sciences and many other officers holding key positions will also be transferred to the University of Agriculture, the above said officers are like the pillars of Gomal University because of their role in administration.
GU at the verge of severe crisis as assets distribution approved
After the distribution of assets of Gomal University, almost all the posts including the post of Vice-Chancellor and other key posts will become vacant in Gomal University and likely an administrative crisis will inculcate in Gomal University.
However, employees and pensioners of Gomal University are already not getting many months salaries and pensions due to the financial crisis of the University.
In the 122nd meeting of the Syndicate, it has been decided that the Asset Distribution Committee has been fully empowered to transfer all the assets from Gomal University to the Agriculture University, D I Khan as decided earlier in the Syndicate meeting.
According to the decision, the officials transferred to the University of Agriculture will go with their current posts (as in Gomal University) and the employees working on contract in related departments which will be mentioned by the Asset Distribution Committee will also be transferred to the University of Agriculture, D I Khan.
However, the employees who have received pension during this period will all be considered as retired and will be paid pension by Gomal University which is equivalent to putting the financial burden of Agriculture University on Gomal University.
On the occassion of Syndicate Meeting, Syndicate Member Justice (retd) Muhammad Daud Khan disagreeing with the decision of transfer of employees said, the employees who were now going to be the employees of Agriculture University should have been kept in the pay-grade which they had been in last year.
It may be recalled that the minutes of the meeting of the Assets Committee, held last year stated that the Gomal University will not Selection Board i.e promote the employees.
However, in the meantime, Vice Chancellor of Gomal University, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed, approached the Peshawar High Court on this decision on which the Peshawar High Court gave a decision against the decision of the Assets Committee.
After the decision of the PHC, Gomal University administration made a selection board and gave promotions to the teachers.
A senior jurist Professor Nisar Safdar has said, upgrading the Faculty of Agriculture to University of Agriculture, D I Khan is against the University Act and he has gone to court against it.
Mr. Nisar Safdar said, here the interesting fact is that the 122nd meeting of Syndicate about the asset distribution between Gomal University and Agriculture University has been presided over by the same person Prof. Dr. Masroor Elahi Babar as the vice chancellor of Gomal University and Agriculture University both, who himself is a supporter of the decision of asset distribution as he is actually the Vice Chancellor of the Agriculture University.
Professor Nisar Safdar questioned how it would be fair to make decisions by giving the charge of Gomal University to the head of the Agriculture University which is totally against Gomal University?
It should be remembered that Prof. Dr. Masroor Elahi Babar participated in the syndicate meeting as the Vice-Chancellor of Gomal University and Agriculture University, representing both universities, because the Vice-Chancellor of Gomal University was sent on forced leave for the third time before the syndicate meeting on the same issue.
According to the decision of the meeting, a committee consisting of Justice (retd) Daud Ahmad and Professor Dr. Khan Bahadur Marwat has been formed which will determine whether the Institute of Social Sciences, which consists of the Department of Economics and the Department of Agricultural Economics, will be a part of the Agriculture University or not?
In the meeting, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, D I Khan Prof. Dr. Masroor Elahi Babar emphasized that we will try our best to get a bailout package from the government to bring the two universities out of financial deficit.
Dr. Khan Bahadur, the nominated representative of HEC who participated in the meeting, kept himself apart from the whole situation and said that as this matter of asset distribution is still pending in the Peshawar High Court under petition number WP3103-P/2022, he cannot be a part of it.
In the meeting, the syndicate members Hafeezullah Deputy Registrar Quality Enhance Committee (QEC) and Assistant Director IT (Wensome College) Mohammad Junaid Siraji also supported the position of Dr. Khan Bahadur Marwat.
It may be remembered that last year, on the same issue when the syndicate meeting was held and the Vice-Chancellor Gomal University Prof. Dr. Iftikhar AHmed was sent to forced leave by then Governor KP, the Vice Chancellor of Gomal University, Prof. Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed, approached the Peshawar High Court, on which the Peshawar High Court reinstated Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed to his position and ordered to stop the implementation of the decision about the distribution of the assets and transferring the resources of Gomal University to the University of Agriculture.
