Punjab University staff association holds demonstration

Punjab University Administrative and Technical Staff Association hold a protest demonstration in front of the vice-chancellor office on Wednesday for the acceptance of their demands.
While the spokesman of the Punjab University has stated that the University administration has taken a serious notice of the fact that a self-styled PU Administrative & Technical Staff Association is illegally and unlawfully operating, without having been established with a lawful authority. The varsity administration does not recognise any such group as lawful representative body of the administrative & technical employees.
In a press statement the spokesman said that the self-styled Union and its constitution has already been set aside and declared unlawful by a Civil Court of Lahore on February 25 last. He said the unlawful association is involved in unauthorised political and group activities.
Accordingly, all the Administrative Sectional Heads have been directed to ensure that none of their subordinate staff member participates in any rally or agitational politics of the said association.
They have been further cautioned that those elements found disrupting official business of university working and creating hindrance in smooth provision of essential services to students, teachers and visitors will be proceeded against as per varsity rules and service disciplines.
Therefore, the employees should not participate in any function or event organised by the so-called unelected representatives of Administrative & Technical Staff Association, otherwise necessary disciplinary action would be initiated against those involved in unauthorised political/group activities, the spokesman concluded.
While Punjab University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran administered oath of office to the newly elected office-bearers of the Lahore Education Reporters Association (LERA) on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor congratulated the newly elected representatives of the Association, namely, Imdad Hussain Bhatti (President), Abdul Ghafoor Hayee (Vice-President), Raheel Syed (General Secretary), Aoun Zahoor (Finance Secretary) and Amira Ibrar (Secretary Information), and expressed the hope that they will spare no efforts to safeguard the professional interests and rights of their member journalists.
He also thanked the office-bearers for their fullest cooperation in publicising and projecting activities and achievements of the varsity in a positive and constructive manner. The University is assigning top most importance to promotion of research pursuits. For this purpose, all-out efforts are being made to enhance the number of PhD faculty up to 70 percent of existing strength of teachers community.