Several Punjab University faculty members on Wednesday demanded the university administration announce the election schedule for a Syndicate seat following a Lahore High Court (LHC) order on Tuesday barring Dr Shaukat Ali, from serving on the statutory body, for his alleged involvement in a forgery case.
The petition had been filed by a former university employee, Munir Awan.
“He tampered with official documents…The court has asked him to stop working as a Syndicate member,” Awan said.
The petitioner said the court had also barred Shaukat from the post of Physics Department’s chairman.
“It is very unfortunate that the university has been checking the degrees of so many MPAs, MNAs while ignoring a member of its own Syndicate who had tampered documents,” he said.
Dr Ismatullah, an associate professor and a Syndicate member, told The Express Tribune that they [professors] would soon move an application asking PU administration to announce the election schedule.
“LHC has barred Dr Shaukat from acting as a Syndicate member and issued a notice to the varsity registrar,” he said.
“We will file an application demanding election on the seat…the administration should abide by the court’s orders,” he said.
He said, “It is the duty of the PU administration to inform the governor that the seat has fallen vacant.”
He said if the university administration did not act the governor or Higher Education Department could intervene.
PU Media Relations Director Isar Rana said he would speak to the vice chancellor and then respond about the university’s policy.
PU Registrar Professor Khan Ras Masood and Dr Shaukat did not answer the calls when contacted.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2013.