LAHORE: The Punjab University Syndicate on Saturday amid controversy ‘approved’ the grant of its 50-kanal prime land to the Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service Limited – by a majority vote.

The Syndicate also agreed that a formal approval will be sought from the governor, who is varsity chancellor, before signing the agreement.

The Punjab government representatives from the higher education, finance and women development departments rejected the approval for leasing out the university land without sorting out policy matters.

“We have strongly opposed the land lease deal and recorded our dissent note. We, the three government representatives, will also send our note of dissent in writing to the PU vice-chancellor who chairs the Syndicate meeting,” a government representative told Dawn.

A Syndicate member also sought thrashing out of the matter of transparency and legal and environment issues before granting approval to the mega land lease agreement.

The Punjab government representatives – additional secretary finance Muhammad Usman, higher education additional secretary (academics) Ali Bahadur Qazi and women welfare department secretary Irum Bukhari - were of the view that leasing out the university’s acquired land required a policy decision on behalf of the Punjab government.

“The PU Syndicate decision, taken abruptly (without taking consent of the Punjab government), may become precedence for all other universities and autonomous educational institutions to lease out their land to generate funds and run institutions lavishly,” a member informed the Syndicate.

The Punjab government representatives reportedly told the Syndicate that a summary had been moved to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, explaining the PU’s plan of leasing out its land to a private bus company along with their comments for advice.

Stating that it would be prudent to wait for government’s nod, they said, the departments had also taken up legal, commercial and environmental issues with the top government functionaries.

According to PU spokesman’s news release issued from unofficial email account, the PU Syndicate, on government representatives’ proposal, agreed that the university would seek formal approval from Punjab governor/chancellor before signing the agreement of leasing the university’s 50-Kanal land to bus company for a period of 30 years.

The PU spokesman said the Syndicate’s nine members had given their consent. Four members, including three government representatives, did not give their consent for the land lease and they wanted that their note of dissent should be recorded in the meeting minutes.

Sources said the elected member in the Syndicate, Prof Dr Shaukat Ali, was insisting on calling the Syndicate meeting and approval of agreement early for he would be retire from the university service on February 2.

When contacted, Prof Ali refused to comment on the land lease agreement and his role.

Another elected member in the Syndicate, on the condition of anonymity, said the Syndicate had discussed the subject in detail and approved it. “It will be a formality to seek Punjab governor’s assent to the Syndicate’s decision.” He denied that any Syndicate member had given his note of dissent.

According to the land lease agreement, the Daewoo company plans establishing a bus terminal–cum–commercial complex, having five storeys besides two basements as well as lower ground floor and upper ground floors.

The complex will have shopping malls, corporate/commercial offices, a super store, hotels, restaurants, food chains, health clubs/ clinics, cinema, playland and banquet lawns. The PU spokesman says the university will earn Rs78 million annually from the agreement.

The spokesman said the Syndicate also approved grant of four-Kanal land near the Institute of Business and Information Technology for the establishment of a private bank.

The Syndicate approved slashing of a number of posts in administration and increasing teaching cadre seats. It also approved the setting up of Rs3 million Student Endowment Fund and grant of Rs4 million for the provision of furniture and fixtures at university’s Jhelum Campus.

The Syndicate also approved vice-chancellor’s decision with regard to the dismissal of a university employee Sardar Muhammad as well as VC’s anticipatory orders.