ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Education and Professional Training has directed the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) not to take any major decisions these days, as the university President, Saudi national Prof Dr Hathal Homoud Alotaibi, is going to complete his term on July 16.

“Keeping in view that the Higher Education Institution is already embroiled in administrative and financial issues, it is advised that during the remaining tenure of the incumbent President, and later in absence of the office of President, the IIU administration may not take any impetuous decisions regarding temporary recruitments, transfer and postings of employees, and delegations of powers, etc,” read a letter of Secretary Federal Education Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani.

The letter was addressed to Rector IIUI Dr Prof. Dr. Samina Malik.

Saudi professor was appointed on July 17 2020 for a term of four years, which is going to expire on July 16.

Incumbent president is going to complete its term on 16th

The secretary said that to commemorate the services rendered by the incumbent President during his tenure at the IIU, it is recommended that a farewell ceremony be arranged by the administration of IIU prior to the expiry of his term.

“This gesture will not only send a positive message to the higher education fraternity to honour the services of their leadership but is also expected to be followed in future.”

Furthermore, the letter said that as decided in the 14th meeting of the Board of Trustees of IIU, held on June 30 2020, the rules for the appointment of a new President may be framed and finalized through the Board of Governors of IIUI, so that the process of appointment may be carried out in a rigorous and transparent manner at the earliest.

In a highly questionable move, the IIUI management despite the decision of the Board of Trustees in 2020 did not get the rules for the appointment of President IIUI from BOG and this step raises several eyebrows, as some faculty members have been terming it a deliberate move to stop the way of new appointment through a competitive process.

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, being a member of BOT, also raised his voice on several occasions for non-implementation of BOT decision for appointment of President, besides pointing out adhoc in university, but to no avail.

Last month, the Chief Justice wrote a letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, informing him about issues at IIUI including non-implementation of the BOT decision made in 2020.

The Chief Justice through a letter informed President Zardari, who is chancellor of IIUI, that the BOT in its June 2020 meeting had directed the university “to propose the criteria for the appointment of the president of the university, but this decision has not been implemented and the criteria are still awaited after over four years.To arrest the further decline and destruction of the university, a meeting of the board be called to consider steps to be taken to stem the rebellion by the university’s administration and to consider the appointment of a new president of the university,” he had stated.

Chief Justice also pointed out that six months had lapsed since the BoT met on December 11 2023, but minutes of such meeting are still awaited. Reminders have been ignored by the university administration. The Board had decided that its next meeting be held in April 2024, but till date, it has not been convened, he said.

He said that the board had noted, with concern, several aspects of maladministration and the university’s decline, including its ranking, adding the university’s ordinance mandates periodical meetings of its statutory bodies, but these too have not been held.

“The board of governors has not met in nine months; violating section 20 of the ordinance, which mandates that its meetings have to be held at least every three months. Other statutorily mandated meetings are also not held. [The] director general, deans, and chairpersons continue to act on an ad-hoc basis and till further orders, which is in complete violation of the ordinance, the statutes of the university, and good practice.

Instead of rectifying the wrongs, which were also highlighted in the board’s meeting, the administration is obstinately persisting and perpetuating them. This is not the way to run any institution, let alone a public sector university on which huge amounts from the public exchequer are spent,“ he had stated.

When contacted, IIUI spokesperson Nasir Farid, said that the BoT decision of 2020 was not implemented due to technical reasons. He said that according to the University Act, the President of IIUI is appointed not through an open competitive process; rather a three-member panel is sent to BoT to pick one of them. He said that the BoT decision of 2020 was in conflict with the IIUI Ordinance.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2024