Undue interference by junior officers deputed in the Higher Education Department Punjab from college cadre in administrative matters of public sector universities and colleges is increasing day by day. Well informed sources told Business Recorder that an officer on deputation from college cadre in HED, Punjab, Ishtiaq Ahmed, is using his influence to appoint his blue eyed persons on important administrative posts in public universities and colleges of the province. The sources said that influential personal staff officer of the Higher Education Punjab Minister is misusing his powers and continuously interfering in administrative matters of higher education institutions of the province.
They claimed that Ishtiaq issues orders and creates hurdles in the way of principals who disobey his orders. He also creates hurdles in smooth running of the day to day affairs of colleges by stopping files of those principals who refuse to obey his illegal orders. The sources claimed that corruption and nepotism is rampant in the HED. The influential PSO has violated merit and transparency in appointment of principal of Jinnah Islamia College, Sialkot. "He is creating hurdles in the appointment of Oxford graduate senior professor Dr Mujahid Bukhari despite the fact that he fulfills the criteria of being appointed as principal. The PSO wants to appoint a junior professor on the seat of principal, the sources added.
The sources also revealed that high officials of the public sector universities had complained to the high-ups against Ishtiaq Ahmed and showed their reservations on his conduct but no action was taken against him. The sources further claimed that he also participates in syndicate meetings of universities in the capacity of personal staff officer of minister which is illegal. According to the law, no outsider is allowed to participate in the meeting of a syndicate.
It is pertinent to mention here that Ishtiaq Ahmed is a college lecturer but he is working on deputation on important administrative posts in HED Punjab for many years. Presently, he is working as PSO to minister and deputy director coordination of the PHEC simultaneously, they added.
The officials working in higher education institution of the province has demanded that the government should take strict action against the PSO who is misusing his powers and continuously interfering in administrative affairs of the public sector education institutes of Punjab.
It is also pertinent to mention here that vice chancellors of public sector universities during a meeting with the Punjab governor requested him to send the college cadre lectures back and also requested him to stop his interference in the affairs of the universities but nothing has been done in this regard. A high official of the Punjab HED said that they are helpless and are unable to tack action against Ishtiaq Ahmed as he enjoys a strong political support.