LAHORE: The Punjab government representatives have questioned the Punjab University (PU) administration’s move of leasing its 50-kanal prime land to a bus company single handedly in violation of law.

The Punjab government’s administrative secretary of the Women’s Development Department and additional secretaries of finance and higher education departments, representing the government on Punjab University Syndicate, have observed that the varsity administration neither consulted the Punjab government’s Revenue Department nor discussed the proposal in the Syndicate before hand.

The PU administration had come up with a 30-year draft Lease Agreement between the PU and Daewoo Pakistan for approval by the Syndicate and authorisation of any PU representative to sign the agreement – on Jan 4 Syndicate meeting’s supplementary agenda. The government representatives had asked the varsity administration to bring the matter on its regular agenda for detailed deliberations for assessing all aspects.

According to the meeting minutes of the Jan 18 Syndicate meeting issued on Jan 27 to be approved by Syndicate meeting on Saturday (today), Punjab Finance Department Additional Secretary Muhammad Usman expressed his surprise that the varsity administration had itself completed the procedure of floating tender, inviting offers, opening bidding and approving the highest bid and placed the matter before the Syndicate for ex-post facto approval.

Syndicate member Prof Dr Shaukat Ali said the proposal for commercial activity was first discussed by Syndicate and then the leasing of its land was processed. Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran also told the Syndicate that the university wanted to lease only a small piece of 150-200 kanals to meet funds shortage in the years to come.

Punjab Higher Education Department Additional Secretary Ali Bahadur Qazi, who had also written a formal letter to the PU, said the land of an educational institution should primarily be used for academic purposes only and if the purpose of land was changed, it would tantamount to violation of terms and conditions on which Board of Revenue transferred the state land to the PU.

The Finance Department representative told the Syndicate that the university land would be reverted back to the Punjab government, the land acquiring agency, if it was not being used for the purpose it was acquired.

Punjab Women’s Development Department Secretary Iram Bokhari sought answers to her three questions: Did the PU conduct a feasibility study with a professionally prepared proposal or business plan? Did it hire the services of consultancy firm and did it consult the Provincial Revenue Department before formulating leasing document?

Referring to PU administration stance on behalf of HEC chairman’s January 2007 letter regarding utilising the large tracts of excessive land to endeavor maximizing returns through commercial activities, the Finance Department additional secretary asserted that the HEC chairman in no capacity could instruct the university administration to utilise its land for commercial purposes.

The additional secretary said the land was acquired by the Punjab government under certain terms, therefore, the power to change the purpose of land vested with it. He said the Punjab government would take a policy decision because it would open a floodgate for other universities to come into such agreements with private parties.

Stating that a summary on the subject matter had been moved to the chief minister, the additional secretary suggested that the PU Syndicate wait for the outcome of the summary – a decision of the chief minister.

However, Prof Dr Shaukat Ali said the Syndicate should approve the lease agreement with M/S Daewoo on the basis of majority decision – and the lease agreement could be executed after the advice from the chief minister.

The vice-chancellor then invited the members to express their independent opinion and eight members supported the view point of leasing out 50-kanal land to M/S Daewoo for 30 years for commercial activities to generate funds for the university.

The three government representatives, however, expressed reservations over the issue, while Syndicate member Dr Asmatullah sought that legal clarity must be obtained before taking any further step.

Agreeing that the issue involved some legalities, the VC said the Syndicate in principle had approved the lease agreement but it would not be executed until it was approved by the competent authority. The PU legal adviser said the competent authority was the Punjab governor/chancellor therefore an advice on the issue would be taken from the chancellor.