FUUAST replaces Dr Muhammad Ziauddin with new acting VC

KARACHI: Dr Muhammad Ziauddin has been removed from the position of acting vice-chancellor of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences, and Technology (FUUAST).

On Thursday, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training replaced Ziauddin with Prof. Dr. Rubina Mushtaq as the varsity's new interim vice-chancellor.

The decision to remove Ziauddin, who was serving an extended term, was taken after the ministry "received credible information" that he was "taking such decisions as are not urgent in nature".

The notification also mentioned that Ziauddin will not be able to exercise any administrative and financial powers as his tenure has expired.

The ministry's notification further mentioned that an inquiry committee has been constituted to probe "administrative and financial irregularities for past two years and also to fix responsibility".

The allegations were made in a report by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in February this year.

The five-member committee will be headed by Senior Joint Secretary (HEC) Abdul Sattar Khokhar, while Director, QAA — Higher Education Commission Nasir Shah, Regional Director NUML Karachi Campus Brig (retd) Syed Ali Haider Kazmi, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences at Allama Iqbal Open University, Karachi Campus, Prof. Dr. Abdul Aziz Sahir, and HEC Director Finance Samina Durrani are its members.

"In addition, the inquiry committee will also fix the responsibility in view of alleged irregularities and financial embezzlement highlighted in HEC Report," the notification added.