High court stays lecturers’ appointment at Malakand varsity

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court (PHC) has stayed the appointment of lecturers in Malakand University and directed the vice-chancellor and registrar of the varsity to submit replies.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Ijaz Khan Sabi heard the petition, filed by Maqsoodur Rehman and others, through Khalidur Rehman advocate.The lawyer of the petitioners stated that his clients were appointed lecturers on contract basis after proper advertisement, test and interviews, and they were supposed to be regularised as well.

However, a writ was filed in Darul Qaza, Peshawar High Court, after the lecturers were not regularised even after three years of service. Darul Qaza sent the case to the university syndicate, which referred it to the selection board of the university.

The lawyer said the board directed the university administration to issue a notification to regularise the lecturers on a permanent basis.However, instead of regularising the contract lecturers, the university recently issued an advertisement, seeking applications for the fresh induction of lecturers.

The lawyer said that his clients have already gone through the process of selection and that the syndicate is the authorised body, which has already decided to regularise them.He requested the court to direct the university to regularise the services of the contract lecturers and to stay any process of the fresh inductions as he said getting the permanent jobs is the right of the petitioners. After hearing the arguments, the court directed the vice-chancellor and registrar to submit replies on the next hearing.