LAHORE: The National College of Arts (NCA) principal still holds office even after his four-year term expired and the Lahore High Court Lahore gave ruling to appoint the senior most professor as the institution head.

As per the document also available with this paper, the LHC also disposed of the NCA principal issue on the assurance of the college counsel that senior most professor will be posted till the new head was appointed by the federal government.

LHC Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh gave the judgment on a petition filed by faculty member Rao Dilshad who said that Dr Jafri was appointed as the NCA principal for a period of four years but despite the competition of his tenure, he did not relinquish the charge. Moreover, it was also conveyed the court that the principal was also using the authority illegally. The petitioner prayed to pass orders for removal of the incumbent principal and direct the federal government to appoint the acting principal.

The court passed an order on September 19 but the principal still holds the office.

To a statement of the Assistant Attorney General that the process had been initiated for the appointment of a new principal and soon the process would be complete and new head would be appointed. But, the judge observed that there was no reasoning to hold office as the tenure was over. The court ordered to remove the principal and to advertise the slot.

Official sources in the NCA disclosed that Dr Syed Murtza Jafri was appointed as the Principal on August 26, 2013, and his term expired on August 28 2017. After the lapse of the four-year tenure, Jafri didn’t leave his office.

The federal law officer also stated in the court that the terms and conditions for the NCA principal had been finalized and establishment division would after completing the due process of law appoint the principal. 

Official sources further told that the principal even after the LHC order also exercised his authority and raised salary of the lower staff. On September 22, the principal signed a letter, that writes, “on the recommendation of Chairman, sub-selection committee/DPC-NCA the fixed pay of the technical attendants is enhanced from Rs 25000 per month to Rs 30,000 per month”.

It is to be recalled that some faculty members including Textile Design Head Irum Zia, Dr Nadeem Omar Tarrar, Dr Wajeeha Raza Rizvi, Rao Dilshad Ali, Samina Zia Shaikh, Salma Khalid and Javed Manzoor, UET, Lahore had some days ago written a letter to the controlling authority NCA that the term for the principal was expiring. As per the NCA ordinance 1985, the principal shall be appointed for the period of four years not exceeding. It was also requested that the procedure for the appointment of the principal be initiated and an advertisement in the newspapers be floated so that the process could be completed in time for the smooth transition of the college administrative boss.