University of Karachi syndicate meeting mired in controversy


IV Report

KARACHI: The sixth meeting of the University of Karachi's syndicate for 2024, held on October 31, was marked by intense debate on several issues, including the promotion of 54 university officers to higher grades.

A senior faculty member, Dr Riaz Ahmed, a syndicate member, expressed concerns that the university administration applies different criteria for promoting teaching and non-teaching staff.

Despite the syndicate approving promotions for over 50 officers in grades 18 to 20, Dr Ahmed pointed out to the chair of the meeting, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid M Iraqi, that the departmental promotion committee violated the syndicate's set policy by not including a syndicate member in the promotion committee, as decided in 2018.

He also highlighted that eight candidates received higher grades under the Incentive Scheme, despite already availing of the benefit twice, which undermines the rules.

Other contentious issues included disagreements over the minutes of the university's academic council, which led to prolonged debate without resolution.

The syndicate referred a policy on education scholarships for children of non-teaching employees to the finance and planning committee.

Additionally, the KU registrar reported on the formation of a committee to examine the allocation of a 2-acre prime land piece to the Sindh Higher Education Commission.

“Members have duly been informed of their appointments in the committee formed by the syndicate to examine legal and other aspects of SHEC's request.”

A university official clarified that the land issue was not part of syndicate's latest agenda, and no report has been submitted yet.

  

With an uninterrupted 23-year career in daily journalism (1991-2013), the author/editor of this blog currently serves as Editor of Social Track, a weekly newspaper focused on social sectors, based in Karachi. Holding a master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Karachi (1990), his professional experience includes roles as senior reporter at Daily Dawn, Karachi (May 2001-August 2013) and Chief Reporter at The News International, Karachi (April 1991-May 2001). He has a strong background in development journalism, he has an extensive portfolio of news stories, analytical reports and features covering a wide range of sectors. He has had the privilege of covering numerous high-profile figures, including Pakistani presidents, prime ministers, army chiefs, foreign dignitaries, and VVIPs and attending conferences and workshops abroad. He began his journalism career in the early 1980s. Throughout his career, he has received several national awards from government and private organisations. He has contributed to various radio and TV/channel broadcasts and has also served as a trainer at workshops in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, focused on training journalists.

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