MULTAN - The price of tug-of-war currently going on between the Punjab Governor and Chief Minister is to be paid by the students and staffers of Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) as the delay in appointment of new Vice Chancellor (VC) has completely paralyzed the varsity, The Nation has learnt. Sources confided to this scribe that all departments including academics, administration and examination were almost shut down while the development projects came to a halt in BZU. All departments have run out of stationary, the development funds are going to lapse while the BA/BSc result has got late. Now the transport system is about to collapse because of non-payment of oil bills, disclosed BZU the sources. The staff fear that no one will get July salary while the fate of those with their contracts ending in June also hangs in the air. The reason behind all woes is just one-the absence of the VC. Sources added that all the varsity affairs were dependent on budget but the budget 2011-2012 could not be approved so far because of absence of the VC. The delay in appointment of new VC is also going to affect University calendar and it is feared that the MA/MSc classes will not start from August 16. The previous VC Dr Muhammad Zafar Ullah had retired about two months back on April 26. Despite repeated appeals from the BZU staffers, no new VC is appointed by the government so far. We had requested the government to give officiating charge to the senior most professor of the varsity so that daily affairs could be run till appointment of new VC, but to no avail. The result is quite visible, lamented Dr. Abdul Quddoos Sohaib, former president of Academic Staff Association (ASA). Explaining the budget approval process, sources disclosed that the entire procedure for the approval of budget was done till June 5 and it was implemented by the mid of June last year. Firstly the budget is presented before Finance and Planning Committee chaired by the VC. If the committee approves it, the VC convenes the meeting of university syndicate forthwith for the final approval of budget, sources added. However, nothing is done till date this year and if the new VC is appointed even in July, the budget approval process will further take at least one month. When asked about the role of treasurer, sources said that the treasurer could not give approval of more than Rs. 10 thousand funds. The situation is very serious. The departments are without stationary, the busses without fuel and the workers without salary. If the Governor and Chief Minister continue to push their political rivalry, they will destroy this institution, BZU sources feared.