Peshawar: The Peshawar High Court has directed universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure strict compliance with the law and prescribed procedure while appointing officials to administrative positions, observing that teachers and other non-administrative employees should not be retained on such posts for prolonged periods.
Justice Kamran Hayat authored the eight-page detailed judgment on a petition challenging the appointment of teaching and non-administrative staff to administrative positions in universities across the province.
The court held that appointments to administrative positions must be made in accordance with Section 17-A of the University Act, 2012, and other applicable legal provisions.
It also directed the universities to review their existing arrangements in light of the judgment.
The court observed that teachers and other non-administrative staff could not be kept permanently or for an extended period against administrative positions. If a suitable administrative officer was not available, the university concerned should complete the appointment process in accordance with the law.
The judgment also clarified that Section 11(5)(1) of the University Act could not be used to bypass the restrictions imposed under Section 17-A.
The court emphasised that all relevant provisions of the university law must be observed when making appointments to administrative posts.
During the proceedings, petitioner’s counsel Asif Babar Advocate argued that unrelated officials had been appointed to administrative positions in various universities of the province and that the appointment of teachers to such posts violated Section 17-A of the University Act.
After examining the arguments of the parties and the relevant legal provisions, the high court issued the detailed judgment.