The vice-chancellor of NWFP Agricultural University is conducting tests and interviews of candidates for different posts despite the fact that his contract has been expired, sources say.

VC calling the shots despite expiry of contract
Peshawar: The vice-chancellor of NWFP Agricultural University is conducting tests and interviews of candidates for different posts despite the fact that his contract has been expired, sources say.

They alleged that vice-chancellor violated the university statutes by making appointments on different posts after expiry of his contract. "The tenure of Said Khan Khalil as vice-chancellor of NWFP Agriculture University has been ended on January 2, 2010, but he is still running the affairs of the university and taking important decisions, which is illegal and against the rules," sources said.

NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, also chancellor of the public sector universities, has neither issued notification of appointing him as acting vice-chancellor after expiry of his tenure nor issued order about the continuation of his services.

On Monday Mr Khalil conducted tests and interviews for three posts of BP-19, which include deputy director finance aid, deputy director university advancement and deputy director student career counseling. Such violation of rules was witnessed for the first time in the history of the university, sources said, adding each candidate appointed on any of those posts would be paid a huge salary of Rs80,000.

Sources said that tests and interviews for the said posts were conducted in haste without adopting proper procedures. "Mr Khalil will definitely appoint the candidates referred by the top brass of ANP-led government to retain the post of vice-chancellor," they alleged.

Sources said that he couldn't conduct test and interview for any post at the university because he was no more a vice-chancellor.

Referring to anomalies in the procedure, they said tests and interviews for such higher posts were conducted through the selection committee instead of the selection board. "The selection committee is constituted on the will of vice-chancellor while selection board is formed according to the statute of the university," they added.

Mr Khalil, when contacted, said that he had received any notification, issued by the chancellor, regarding extension in his contract or working as acting vice-chancellor.

When his attention was drawn towards the appointment of three deputy directors at the university, he said that he had been given green signal by the office of chancellor to go ahead as he would be reappointed as vice-chancellor.

He claimed that chancellor had issued an order about the continuation of his office till the appointment of a new vice-chancellor but he didn't receive its copy.

Sources also alleged that Mr Khalil notified various other vacancies without the approval of the minutes of syndicate. They alleged that he was favouring the students' wing of a specific political party and its members were involved in criminal activities on the campus.

"The activists of a political organisation, patronised by Mr Khalil, misbehave with teachers and harass girl students. Even on Monday they opened firing on some students over a petty issue on the campus premises," they added. Dawn