HEC told to look into credentials of KU teacher for professorship.

KARACHI -- The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to examine the eligibility of an assistant/associate professor and his proposed candidature for the post of full professor at the University of Karachi and whether his appointment was made in violation of law or otherwise.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon also asked the HEC chairman to file a report before the KU syndicate as well as in court within one month.

The SHC also ordered the KU vice chancellor to coordinate with the HEC chief for such purpose forthwith by sending all credentials of Dr Danish Ahmed Siddiqui.

Petitioner Dr Mohammad Asim, a former chairman of the Karachi University Business School (KUBS), moved the SHC in 2021 impugning the appointment of Dr Siddiqui, a son of former KU VC Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, as assistant and then associate professor as well as his proposed promotion to the post of professor (BS-21).

His lawyer Shahzeb Akhtar Khan argued that Dr Siddiqui being the son of a former VC allegedly used his influence and got appointment as assistant and associate professor at KUBS and now he was being illegally appointed as professor.

The lawyer also stated that a private respondent was not eligible for such appointments in the Faculty of Business and Management Science since he belonged to the Faculty of Arts, holding a PhD in Economics degree.

The KU and other official respondents in their comments argued that the appointment and posting of Dr Siddiqui were made strictly under the law.

They also questioned the maintainability of the petition and stated that...