PESHAWAR:Vice Chancellor Agriculture University (AU), Peshawar Dr Jehan Bakht has applied for extension in contractual service as head of the institute amid inquiry over alleged misuse of power and malpractices causing grave concerns and reservations among employees of various cadres of the varsity.
The contract of the Vice Chancellor Dr Jehan Bakht would expire on March 14, and a Committee of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Department comprising of Dr. Amir Khan, Centre of Excellence, CPEC, PIDE (MoPD&R) Islamabad, Ex-VC University of Agriculture Peshawar Prof. Dr Iqbal Shah and Ex-VC Kohat University Prof Dr. Lutfullah Kaka Khel had already held a meeting on February 28 to evaluate his case of extension.
The allegations against the Vice Chancellor were probed by a Governor Inspection Team (GIT) over misuse of power including increasing his own pay package and getting arrears of Rs over 5 million from the date of appointment without approval of competent authority the Chancellor, and sans adopting proper procedure of processing the case.
The move invited resentment conveyed by the Secretary Agriculture and Livestock Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through a letter dated January 12, 2022 for not adopting the proper procedure for the conduct of official business.
The report of Governor Inspection Team (GIT) against the Vice Chancellor was still pending and the matter was yet to be decided by the Senate Agriculture University, Peshawar.
Meanwhile on January 11, the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Chancellor of KP University conveyed displeasure through a letter addressed to all Syndicate members of Agriculture University including the Vice Chancellor AU over an illegal approval of conveyance allowance to additional registrar Noor-ul-Hadi which led to an audit para by office of Director General Audit vide para-184.
The registrar of AU Noor-ul-Hadi was also having serious against him and another Governor Inspection Team (GIT) was also probing him.
An official of University of Agriculture told this scribe that the Governor ordered conducting inquiry through Governor Inspection Team (GIT) against the Vice Chancellor Jehan Bakht on November 20, 2021 and another GIT inquiry against Registrar Noor-ul-Hadi on the complaints to probe the allegations of misuse of powers, misconduct and malpractices by the Vice Chancellor and Registrar.
He further said that the VC was also not holding a PhD in Agriculture which also made him ineligible for the post of VC as in past all the VC of the varsity were having specialization in the field of Agriculture.
When contacted VC Dr Jehan Bakhat on his office number, he was not available for the comment, the scribe also contacted the spokesman of the varsity for comments of the VC over the allegations but to no use.
The employee of University of Agriculture while expressing concern over holding meeting of a Committee by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Department to evaluate the case of extension of the outgoing Vice Chancellor Dr Jehan Bakht said that the competent authority and the Provincial Cabinet should keep in mind the gross charges/allegations against the Vice Chancellor Dr.Jehan Bakht before considering his case for extension for the office of Vice Chancellor.