KARACHI - Despite the availability of nearly 700 teaching faculty members and 300 non-teaching staff, nearly all top positions in the administration of the Karachi University (KU) are occupied by retired officers and teachers. The list of retired officials include the names of Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Akhlaq Ahmed, Registrar Prof Rais Alvi, Director Finance S M Khalid, Secretary Vice chancellor Shamss-ul-Haq, Chief Accountant Muhammad Iqbal, Librarian Syeda Arjumand Bano, Auditor Ashfaq Ahmed and Public Relation Officer Qazi Saleem, The Nation learnt on Wednesday. Among others who have retired from their positions but working still at the KU, include Salary In-charge Anis Ahmed, Accountant Khalil-ur-Rahman, Bursar Iqbal, Bookshop In-charge Saeed Baba and Deputy Director Health and Physical Education. Conversely, the university has around 17 higher learning research institutes and centers out of which many institutes, including Centre for Molecular Genetics and AQ Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering are also being headed by retired professors, namely Prof Dr Syed Irtifaq Ali and Prof Dr Nuzhat Ahmed. A senior professor of the KU, on the condition of anonymity, said that due to the domination of retired officials in the administration the KU was not acting out as good as it could in the fronts of research, academics, management etc because retired officials perform their duties on the bases of expedience not on principles. He said, "They even can not enforce the write of the government in any institution. This is unfortunate that young talent, pertaining to teaching and non-teaching staff of the KU, is discouraged in this situation, while the KU is considered as largest university of the country." It is pertinent to mention here that in the year 1953 it started its teaching and research activities at two Faculties of Arts and Science. Opened with an initial intake of 50 students, the university is now a sprawling structure of 53 Departments and 17 world class and highly reputable Research Centers and Institutes, under eight faculties of Arts, science Islamic Studies Pharmacy Commerce & Business Administration, Law, Education and Medicine. At present the enrolment of a regular student at the Campus is slightly over 24,000. There are more than 600 teachers and nearly 3000 supporting staff. When The Nation contacted Dr Abid Hasnain, General Secretary Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) to know his opinion about the issue, he said that retired officials had usually been found incapable in term of exercising their power to implement the administrative decisions. He said, "It is not appalling for the administration to give an extension to retired teachers on account of teaching purposes, because the KU needs experienced and qualified teachers for imparting knowledge and giving training properly. The present KU administration is required to provide opportunities to young and energetic people in place of retired officials.