University ignores glaring mistake

THIS signboard spells the word federal as ‘FADERAL’ and has gone completely unnoticed. — Photo by Khurram Amin

For almost two years, the administration of the Federal Urdu University of Arts Science and Technology (FUUAST) has failed to rectify a blatant misspelled signboard installed at the entrance of the institution in the capital city. The signboard spells the federal university as “FADERAL.”

“I have been seeing this mispelt board for over two years, it always irritates me. Several times we requested the administration to correct the mistake but to no avail,” said a female student who requested not to be named. Her university fellow Mohammad Touqeer also seemed perturbed over the negligence of the university administration.

However, campus in-charge Dr Salman D. Mohammad and additional registrar Ali Zaman Shah surprisingly expressed their ignorance about the signboard.

“Really, our signboard is misspelled? If so, this is very bad and I’ll definitely remove it today,” Dr Mohammad said.

The Islamabad campus of FUUAST, where around 4,500 students are enrolled, has made headlines during the last several months mainly because of the alleged mismanagement and a tug-of-war between two groups - of the vice chancellor and his rivals.

At present, in the absence of VC Zafar Iqbal, who has been sent on a forced leave by the president of Pakistan over the mismanagement and graft charges, Dr Qaiser, the vice chancellor of Karachi University, is looking after the affairs of the main campus in Karachi and senior faculty member Dr Mohammad is calling the shots in the Islamabad campus.

Due to the rift between the two groups, students have also been suffering. For example, the future of the students of the engineering department is hanging in the balance as the university has failed to get the programme accredited from the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).

The university is being run in a rented building where in every summer the students have to suffer due the lack of space. They are also facing problems due to the frequent changes of faculty members and the administration.

Though the university has its own land in Chak Shahzad, no effort has been made for the construction of its own building. A couple of months ago when Dr Iqbal was sent on the forced leave, acting VC and the in-charge of the Islamabad campus sacked several employees in Islamabad.

However, Dr Iqbal obtained a stay order and again took charge of the university and restored the officials, including the in-charge of the Islamabad campuses, Dr Salman D. Mohammad.

A few days ago, when the Sindh High Court vacated the stay Dr Qaisar, the VC Karachi University, and Dr Mohammad again took charges of the Karachi and Islamabad campuses respectively, and fired several employees who were close to Dr Zafar Iqbal.

“It’s a drama, nobody cares about the future of the students,” said student who requested not be named.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play