ISLAMABAD: The Chief Court of Gilgit Baltistan has sought comments from President of Pakistan (as Chancellor), Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit Baltistan, Chairman HEC, Karakoram International University vice-chancellor and nine other respondents about a petition challenging the VC’s appointment.
After holding a preliminary hearing, on Wednesday a bench consisting of Chief Justice Ali Baig and Justice Johar Ali Khan ordered the respondents to file comments about the petition. The schedule of the next hearing will be announced later.
The petition is filed by Abid Hussain Advocate, who insisted that the respondent, Dr Ataullah Shah, was appointed the VC of the public sector University of Gilgit Baltistan in 2018 in violation of merit.
The other respondents in the petition are Chairperson, KIU Senate, Dr. Muhammad Raza Chohan Member KIU senate as Representative HEC, Ejaz Ahmed Quarishi Senior Advisor Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat Islamabad (Convener Search Committee), and other members of the search committee including Prof. Dr. Muhammad Qasim Jan, Advisor COMSTECH, Islamabad, Prof. Dr. Sadruddin Pardhan, Aga Khan University Karachi, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam Baig National Centre for Physics Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Prof. Dr. Tassawar Hayat Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Prof. Dr. Moazam Nizami KIU and Assistant Professor Dr Abdul Razzak KIU.
Ghulam Muhammad Advocate, lawyer for the petitioner, contended that Dr. Attauallah Shah neither has adequate leadership experience nor possess the required qualification and relevant sufficient length of academic management experience.
During the appointment of the VC in 2018, the Search Committee (constituted to appoint the VC) had devised and published a faulty advertisement relaxing or not specifying the strict criteria for appointment of the VC by making substantial changes in the prescribed qualification and experience which was done arbitrarily and malafidely in order to accommodate the existing VC of KIU.
He said the appointment of incompetent and inexperienced person on such high post is not only illegal and against the law but also against the fundamental rights of People of Gilgit Baltistan.
The lawyer, who is also Chairman Global Village Forum International GB, said that the Advertisement dated 27-02-2018 was based on favoritism, pick and choose, arbitrary and unilateral, in order to accommodate, out of the way, Dr Ataullah Shah as vice chancellor and the impugned notifications dated 31-05- 2018 and 09-03-2022, about appointing Attauallah shah, were discriminatory, illegal and void ab initio.
The counsel added that based on illegalities mentioned the illegal appointment of Ar. Attauallah Shah as VC KIU may be declared illegal void ab initio and his furthermore the extension of second tenure from 01- 06-2022 to 31-05-2026 may also be declared canceled to meet the ends of justice law and equity.
The lawyer said during selection of the VC in 2018, Dr. Muhammad Raza Chohan Director General (Academics) representative of HEC had showed his severe reservations on shortlisting of Dr. Attaullah Shah as candidate for VC because Dr. Shah neither has adequate leadership level experience which can be given any weightage for consideration against VC position nor possess relevant sufficient length of academic management experience.
The counsel said as Engr. Dr. Attaullah Shah was not eligible to be appointed as VC of KIU due to not possessing of academic management abilities, attainments and portfolio as he has never performed the services of any university as professor, associate professor, assistant professor and even lecturer in his entire career, whereas to become vice chancellor in a public sector university a candidate must fulfill the minimum qualification/expertise of a professor i.e. 15 years teaching and research in HEC recognized university.
He said Dr Attaullah Shah who started his job at Allama Iqbal Open University as Civil Engineer (BS-17) in 1999 and prematurely retired in 2016 as Project Director in BS-19 (Got LPR in2014) which also proves that Dr. Shah never worked as Academic Leader which is mandatory as per advertisement of KIU.
The lawyer said Mr Shah has completed his PhD in 2009 from Taxila University in Civil Engineering so when post PhD experiences are considered he hardly can qualify for the post of VC in 2019 whereas he has been appointed as VC KIU in 2018.
The counsel contended that Engr. Dr. Attaullah Shah has got so many MS/M.Phil degrees simultaneously which can be declared invalid or fake degrees.
The lawyer contended that instead of all the mentioned irregularities and illegalities made for his initial appointment, Dr. Ataullah Shah further continued his exertions to extend his services for second tenure and succeeded to get second tenure extension for another four years form 01-06- 2022 to 31-05-2026 through the impugned Notification No. No. F-19(3)/2006.GB-II dated 9-03-2022 which is against the law, set criteria and also against the scheme of KIU Order 2008.
The lawyer requested the court to declare the appointment of Dr Attaullah Shah as the vice-chancellor of KIU illegal.
He also requested the court to cancel the impugned Notification No. F- 19(3) / 2006, GB-II dated 9-03-2022 of the second tenure of Dr. Ataullah Shah’s extension and directed the respondents to appoint a qualified and experienced person for the slot.
