ISLAMABAD: Outgoing President Dr Arif Alvi signed the much-delayed minutes of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), paving the way for implementation of several major decisions.

The president, being head of the BoT, after approving the draft minutes on February 28 directed the IIUI rector to circulate them amongst the members. The ministry of education shared the draft minutes with President Alvi on Feb 27 and the very next day he signed it.

Some of the major decisions remained pending because of non-issuance of the minutes of the meeting held on December 11 by the university in a highly questionable move.

Sources said now the IIUI will have to implement the decisions made by BOT at its meeting.

University delayed issuance of minutes of BoT meeting held on December 11 for over two months

The sources said three BoT nominees for the Board of Governors (BoG) approved by the chancellor and notified by Ministry of Education will now have to officially be accepted by the university. The minutes said BoT had decided that a committee headed by Dr Qibla Ayaz, chairman Council of Islamic Ideology, will inquire into the administrative and financial issues of IIUI. If the university did not take corrective measures in one month, the committee was likely to start its work.

Meanwhile, sources said the BOT had approved allocation of four seats to elected representatives of the teachers in the BoT (one each to lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors and professors), but the administration has not yet accepted the decision.

Last month, HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa through separate letters had pointed out bad governance at the IIUI and demanded meetings of the university’s BoT and BoG.

In a letter addressed to Rector Prof Dr Samina Malik, the HEC chairman had asked her to “furnish report/comments by February 29 on the issue listed above and to forthwith call a meeting of BoG, failing which HEC would be compelled to formally call for a review of your performance as the IIUI rector.”

Dr Ahmed stated that the university over the past few months had been grappling with a governance crisis.

“The crisis has wide-ranging manifestations, from financial and administrative issues to violation of statutory provisions with regard to meetings and subsequent implementation of the decisions taken therein, of the statutory bodies of the university,” read the letter.

The HEC chairman pointed out that the minutes of the 15th meeting of BoT, which was held on December 11, 2023, have not been finalised despite a lapse of two months.

“As reported, the considerable influence of a junior officer and his undue involvement in the university’s affairs has resulted in highly controversial decisions shrouded in favouritism and cemented mistrust among the university’s leadership, faculty and its administration.”

The chairman HEC also pointed out harassment on the campus. “Few female faculty members have also complained of facing harassment at the workplace which you [rector] had also confirmed in the BoT meeting - with the gravity of the grievance being so severe that FIRs have been lodged against a few junior as well senior officers of the university - leading to a tarnishing image of the institute.”

Moreover, he said that circulation of such news had also adversely reflected upon the admissions in the spring session.

Meanwhile, another member of the BOT, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, also wrote a letter to President Arif Alvi, complaining that minutes of the BoT meeting held in December last year were still awaited despite a lapse of 72 days.

“The systematic destruction of the university was noted in the said meeting of BoT. However, rather than redressing the concerns…and implementing the decisions that were taken, they are being thwarted by the paid employees of the university,” read the CJP’s letter.

Sources said that after the two letters, the draft minutes were forwarded to President Alvi, who approved them.

A spokesperson for IIUI, Nasir Farid, said minutes were finalized on time. Asked about the two letters, he said commenting on letter of CJP was not appropriate for him; however, “we have responded to letter of the chairman HEC in detail.”

He said the university had contested the HEC’s letter regarding governance issue. “There is no governance issue at IIUI rather some people are trying to tarnish the image of this prestigious university,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2024