ISLAMABAD: Upon completion of the four-year term of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) President Dr Hathal Homoud Alotaibi, the university got an acting president through a controversial notification raising a serious legal question.

According to the notification issued by the rector of the IIUI, consequent upon the completion of the term of the president on July 16: “The Rector IIUI in term of sub-section 2 of section 13 of IIUI ordinance 1985 has been pleased to appoint Prof Dr Mohammad Sarwar (Vice President Administration and Finance) to perform duties of President IIUI, with effect from July 17, 2024 till further orders.” Many faculty members of IIUI have termed the appointment illegal.

They said according to the IIUI Ordinance, only the vice president can be given the charge of the acting president. They said the ordinance was very clear that the board of governors (BOG) of the IIUI was the appointing authority of the vice president.

They said Dr Sarwar, the contractual Dean of the Education Department, was never appointed by BOG, rather on July 10, the outgoing president gave him the look-after charge of the office of Vice President (Finance and Administration).

Subsequently, the rector gave him the acting charge of the president as well, at a time when his basic appointment as the look-after VP was under question. For the post of acting president, Dr Sarwar was also given preference over two other VPs, who were appointed by BOG.

Section 14-2 of IIUI Ordinance stated: “Vice President shall be appointed by the Board of Governors on the recommendations of the President on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the BoG and exercise such powers as may be delegated to him by the President in consultation with the Rector,” said the ordinance.

When contacted, IIUI’s spokesperson Nasir Farid said that the appointment of the acting president was legitimate and in accordance with rules and regulations.

“There is no illegality involved in this appointment,” he said and added that university ordinance empowered the president to create and fill posts temporarily for a period not exceeding six months.

He said that Dr Sarwar was appointed VP by the president of the university and subsequently, being VP, he was given the charge of the acting president.

About the approval of BOG, he said that the president of IIUI had the power to make an emergency decision to place them before the BOG later.

This decision of Dr Sarwar as VP was taken on the same analogy, he said.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2024