LAHORE-The Punjab Higher Education Department has told the Lahore High Court (LHC) that the appointments of the UET registrar and the controller examinations are illegal.
Justice Rasaal Syed was hearing a petition filed against the appointments of the UET registrar and the controller examination on Wednesday.
After submission of the inquiry report by the Punjab Higher Education Department in the court and hearing the arguments of both the parties, the court directed the syndicate of University of Engineering and Technology (UET) to consider the recommendations made in the report against the illegal appointments.
The court directed to decide within one month the fate of illegal appointments of UET Registrar Muhammad Asif and Controller Examination Zaigham Nusrat.
Petitioner’s counsel argued that the appointments have been made in violation of service rules and regulations. He submitted that according to service rules it requires 13 years of experience however the appointments of the registrar as well as controller examinations were made in violation of the rules.
Sheraz Zaka further argued that illegal appointments led to bad governance. He submitted that both Registrar Muhammad Asif and Controller Examination Zaighmam Nusrat be removed.
The law officer submitted the inquiry report which also stated that illegal appointments have been made and hence vice chancellor be directed to remove the registrar and the controller examinations.
Hafiz Tariq Nasim appeared on behalf of the respondents and submitted that the petition is not competent and be dismissed with cost as it has been filed with malafide.
After hearing both the parties the judge directed the syndicate to consider the report of Higher education department and make a decision regarding the appointments within 30 days.
The court further directed that both the registrar and controller examination will not become part of syndicate meeting. He directed the secretary higher education to sit in the syndicate meeting to ensure good governance in the higher education institutions.
The syndicate meeting will be presided over by Justice Aminuddin Khan and also attended by a justice (retired) Karamat Nazir Bhandari. The other members included in the syndicate are vice chancellor, secretary higher education and head of the department.
The court then disposed of all the interconnected petitions
In the report, the court was told that the committee constituted to look into the matter heard the parties at length, sought written replies, got advice from Secretary, Regulations and got verified the experience of incumbents from concerned Registration/Affiliation Authorities and forwarded its probe report to Secretary Higher Education Department..
The report says that after examining the report, the authority directed to de-notify the illegal appointments of Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Zargham Nusrat without further delay.
As per the report, in case of non-compliance, complete reference against the UET Vice-Chancellor shall be forwarded to the chancellor/Punjab governor for his consideration and further necessary action as per the law.
It further says, “The Vice Chancellor and Resident Auditor of UET, Lahore are required to work out all cases of appointments made on the basis of private sector experience within one month and the vice chancellor to place them before the Syndicate for their treatment as per law under intimation to the Department.”
It also recommends initiation of disciplinary action against those found responsible in processing the above mentioned cases in violation of UET Statutes and without having determined the equivalence of private experience as required under Rules / Statutes.
