MARDAN - Peshawar High Court has directed Abdul Wali Khan University administration to submit report of the syndicate meeting held a few weeks ago to decide future of the employees allegedly appointed in violation of rules through advertisement No-48, sources told the Nation.

An official at the university on the condition of anonymity said that more than 260 employees were appointed on different positions through the mentioned advertisement published in different newspapers in September 2015. However, later, media published several reports about the alleged violation of merit in the recruitment process.

Sources said that after publication of the reports, the varsity administration appointed a 4-member inquiry committee on the directives of the Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on January 3, 2016 to probe any possible wrongdoings. The sources added that the inquiry committee declared majority of the appointments as illegal and fake.

Sources claimed that one order of demonstrator was issued on 15 December 2016 after the passage of 16 months through the mentioned advertisement. Sources further added that another order of the demonstrator was issued on 24 January 2017 after the passage of 17 months through the same advertisement.

The sources also said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had started investigations into the matter but was using dealing tactics in this connection.

The sources said that a meeting of the syndicate was held on February 26. Dr Khurshid Khan, who was appointed as vice chancellor of the university few months ago, chaired the meeting.

Sources said that the vice chancellor asked 2 members of the syndicate, Arsh-ur-Rehman and Shafiq-ur-Rehman before the meeting to avoid attending the meeting on moral grounds as they were members of the scrutiny committee who appointed the employees through objectionable process.

However, the minutes of the meeting have not been disclosed so far, sources said. “It was decided in the syndicate meeting to form a subcommittee to decide the fate of the employees”, sources added.

The sources said that decisions were made with majority, adding that the varsity administration had decided to make public the minutes of the meeting and also display the same on the varsity website.

Sources revealed that sisters, brothers and other relatives of the officials in the old administration were appointed besides supporters of influential politicians and relatives of influential high officials of different departments of the province.

Sources added that the vice chancellor and the new administration is under pressure and due to this reason, they are also using dealing tactics to avoid taking practical steps in the matter. They said that due to the pressure, the administration did not release the minutes of the syndicate meeting.

The sources added that some candidates had taken the matter to the Peshawar High Court, which on April 3 directed the university administration to produce the mentioned syndicate meeting decisions and report of the inquiry committee in the court on May 22.

The ignored candidates also demanded the chief justice of Supreme Court to take notice in the case and form a joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the appointments.