LAHORE - Punjab University’s acting vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran cannot interfere in police and administrative affairs of the varsity as law allow acting VC just take care of temporary and petty affairs, the Lahore High Court observed yesterday.
Punjab University College of Information Technology Principal Mansoor Sarwar filed the petition and submitted that acting VC Dr Mujahid Kamran called syndicate meeting on September 3 while policy matters are part of the agenda. He alleged that the main purpose of Dr Kamran of holding Syndicate meeting is just to victimise those professors and officials who were his opponents.
According to the law, an acting vice-chancellor cannot chair meeting of the Syndicate, he said. The legal advisor of the varsity, however, opposed the arguments of the petitioner saying that Punjab governor being chancellor of the varsity had nominated Dr Kamran to look after the affairs of the varsity.
The legal advisor said that many important matters including change in subjects would also be decided in the meeting. Therefore, he argued that this petition either be dismissed or be sent to the Chancellor who himself would point out the ordinary and temporary affairs of the varsity.
On it, the petitioners’ counsel objected and said that Mujahid Kamran and his supporters would not let it happen normally.
After hearing detailed arguments of both sides, Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah directed the legal advisor of the v arsity to appear before the Chancellor and get the temporary and petty affairs of the varsity as pointed out from him and present report in the court.
The CJ observed that an acting vice-chancellor cannot interfere into policy and administrative matters of the university. He also observed that the law allowed him to do care of petty and temporary affairs. The court adjourned hearing for today (Friday).
In his main petition, Petitioner Mansoor Sarwar had submitted that the acting vice chancellor had been acting beyond his powers. He prayed the court to restrain acting VC from exercising the powers of the Vice-Chancellor and from chairing meeting of the varsity’s syndicate.