ISLAMABAD: After considerable delay of over one year, Comsats University Islamabad is set to have a regular rector as University Senate on Thursday approved three names for this position.

The post of the rector of Comsats University Islamabad (CUI) has been lying vacant since July last year and university being run under adhoc arrangements. In July last year, rector Dr Mohammad T. Afzal resigned, and the then president Dr Arif Alvi, being chancellor of the university, handed the look-after charge to senior Dean Prof Dr Sajid Qamar until the appointment of a regular rector.

The Senate of CUI, which met here on Thursday with Federal Minister of Science and Technology, who also holds additional charge of minster education, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui after holding detailed discussion on five names finalized by search committee, approved top three names.

The name of Dr Shahid Khattak (Prof Dr of Comsats Abbottabad Campus), followed by Dr Shahid Munir ( Chairperson Higher Education Department Punjab) and Dr Asghar Zaidi (former VC Government College University, Lahore).

These three names would be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari, who being chancellor of CUI will pick one of them for the position of Rector Comsats. Not only rector office of Comsats is being run on ad hoc basis but several other offices are being run under look after charge basis.

There were also reports that some people, whom interim setup suits, wanted to delay the rector’s appointment, however, the search committee, ignoring all alleged delaying tactics finalised five names and finally, the university Senate also approved three names to fill the position of Comsats’ rector.

A couple of months ago, Academic Staff Association (ASA) of Comsats, an elected body of faculty members, pointed out in an official press release that some elements were trying to sabotage the process of appointing a rector.

“Some reports recently circulated that certain quarters with vested interests are trying to sabotage fair, transparent and legal process of the selection of a new rector. It is a matter of grave concern for the faculty, and ASA-CUI, being representative of the faculty, strongly condemns such tactics that are bound to have a negative impact on the smooth functioning of the university.

ASA-CUI stresses that any such act that may hamper the process of rector selection must be avoided. The ASA-CUI is closely observing the process and any act to sabotage the process would be strongly opposed by the faculty at all available forums,” read the statement of the ASA, which was issued by President ASA Islamabad Dr Mohammad Jadoon Khan in June this year.

Meanwhile, a faculty member alleged that some elements with vested interests wanted to get appointment of rector further delayed.

He alleged that the elements wanted to see their two preferred candidates in the final race for the appointment of rector, but because of the strong educational credentials and best academic and administrative backgrounds of other five candidates, two favourites of said elements were nowhere in the race. Then, they [elements] tired to raise questions on search committee and selection criteria etc. But search committee and now Senate did not give any value to those elements and finally three names had been approved.

Earlier, ASA in its statement also pointed out that offices of the registrar, treasurer and controller were also being run under the interim arrangement, while the position of pro-rector was never filled.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2024