IIUI, Rector and Recent Scandals: The Other Side of the Picture

In response to our last post, we received several comments sharing certain concerns about different aspects of the situation prevailing right now in IIUI. As we maintain principle of neutrality and fairness so it is important show other side of the picture as will. Please see following three comments:

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1. Reading the Charge Sheet against Professor Fateh Malik, one is struck by the crude language of the “Daughters and Sisters” of Ummah and it is sad to see the letter appearing on your blog. It seems that some vested interests are operating behind this letter against the rector in the wake of recent scandals in IIUI. What is most horrible in the charge sheet is the nature of charges which require the proper proof under Islamic Law. In case they cannot come up with such proof, they should be ready for the punishment of “buhtan” in Islamic Law. All those associated with IIUI should avoid washing their dirty linen in the public.

2. I think this type of secret letters are hallmark of jamiat groups in IIUI ,they are filthy and full of defamatory items agaiinst peolple whom they want to remove. Allah is forgotten by these people in such letters and they think they are reformers of the world appointed by God.I only seek protection of allah frm such groups who write such letters. we have very few senior academics left in pakistan, and Dr Malik has always shown respect to females. if females themselves are dying for such scandals then allah is the best judge inshallah. mdm kaisera was my teacher in F.7/2 college and she never needed such cheap tactics as mentioned in that letter. she is too busy for these things. this letter people shd come infront with their names if they are so obliged to write such false accusations, if tehy are true wht are they afraid of ? why hiding? allah will be on their side....right???

3. Hello, Is there a link to this blog post or is it just a hidden accusation? Please make it public if this is true because this is serious or the routine IIUI conspiracy tactic?

CHARGESHEET AGAINST PROF. FATEH MUHAMMAD MALIK, RECTOR, (A DIRTY OLD MAN) INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD(IIUI)

Note: We received this message from different sources and were really reluctant to share on our blog. However, it is impossible to ignore such allegations after publication of recent news items about heinous scandals in the IIUI.
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Whatever, we heard and read about sex scandals at IIU, it is unfortunately a truth … more unfortunate segment is this that this is yet an incomplete truth …. As when elder/guardian of a home has indulged in immoral activities, then what to speak of sons and daughters???????

Rector , Mr. Fateh Muhammad Malik ( a simple MA urdu of 75 year old) , has immoral relations with students and female staff/teacher of this very unfortunate university ,which was established in the name of universal religion.. Islam. .. Rector is corrupted to the limit that he has crossed every moral limitations……but alas,, who listens …. No one perhaps … who cares … no one infact…. BUT ALLAH LISTENS TO VOICE OF AGGRIEVED, ALLAH CURES SUCH EVILS ALSO ,,, AND ALLAH WILL CURE SOON RECTOR IIUI…… MAY BE IN FORM OF A PERMNANAT PARASITIC DCESEASE ……

WE , THE WRITTERS OF THIS LETTER/MAIL ARE FEMALES ,,, WE SWEAR BY THE SACRDED BEING OF ALLAH (S.W.T) THAT WHAT EVER WE WILL WRITE , WE WILL WRITE UPTO OUR BEST OF KNOWLEDGE AND BEING IN THE COURT OF OUR LORD ……….

WE HEREBY PRESENT THE CHARGE SHEET AGAINST A DIRTY OLD MAN , FATEH MUHMMAD MALIK,RECTOR ,IIUI WITH THE BRIGHT HOPE THAT …… RECTOR’S WINGS WILL BE TRIMMED UP….

1. Rector has immoral relations with Dr.Sadia Tahir , Assistant Prof, Uudu Department, Ex-provist IIUI, who is ironically named/called as Dr. Saida MALIK in our campus …(we have evidence of some voice recording ,we can provide )
2. Sadia Tahir did Ph.D from NUML under the sweet shadow of support of her beloved Fateh Malik in just 2-3 years without fulfilling HEC criteria. She joined IIU before just 3.5 year back when she was having merely an MA degree ……
3. the same lady , was proved to be involved in supplying IIUI hostelised female students to corrupt people outside and to some of officers inside the IIUI .this she was doing with support of another morally and financially corrupt lady , Prof. Qaisra Alvi (ex –Director Female Campus), Ex- Chairman Urdu Department ………
4. Why prof WAsira Alvi was not given extension …… it should be investigated ,,,,,, but the main reason was that Sadia Tahir is more pretty and open to Rector than Prof. Qasira ,,, in the conflict of the two open givers women ,,, Rector has been wise quite enough to choose a choosy one a pretty one ..sadia tahir ….
5. Rector is a supreme commander of hypocracy and of immoral and financial corruption …. He is leading IIUI towards calamity, communism and absurdity due to his personal tilts to such aspects….
6. Females who are frank and friendly with Rector , are enjoying very privileged positions and benefits.
7. During his entire tenure ,, we have been observing unrest, war like situations, sex scandals, .. why?
8. The girl caught while doing intercourse with Dr. Jabar (AP economics) was later offered to this drity and filthy man , Fateh Malik and this dirty man badly utilized this girl … the matter must be interrogated …. That is why, Dr. Jabar was given safe passage ad respectable way to exit on deputation …..
9. What was done by filth man . chief librarian with series of girls was known to Rector IIUI …. But he always gets happy to catch such caught girls and utilized them for his lust …… Why Rector allowed the culprit Rafiq to go on leave even after doing dozen of intercourses with plenty of girls ?????
10. Rector wants to make IIU a brothel ……which he can not make I.A…. we are digging his grave ……


THESE ARE 10 POINTS FOR MR.10 NO OF THIS CENTURY ,,,,PROF .FATEH MALIK….
IF WE ARE CONTACTED BY RETURN MAIL AND IF WE FEEL THAT THE OTHER PARTY IS CONVINCED AND TRUHFUL WE WILL SURELY PROVIDE EVIDENCES TO ALL SUCH CASES …….

LETS CLEANSE THE WASTE,,, LETS PURFIY THE ISLAMI UNI OF PAK …
LETS THROW OUT THE DIRTY OLD MAN …

THE DIRTY MAN’S TERM OF RECTOR IS ALSOMOT ENDING …THEREFORE ..
AT THE END, WE WANT TO APPEAL , CHANCELLOR IIUI(PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN) , CHIEF JUSTIC OF PAKISTAN , SPEAKER N.A AND CHAIRMAN HEC TO AVAIL THIS OPPORTUNITY BY WIPING OUT THIS FILTH AND GARBAGE FROM SCENE OF IIUI by NOT GIVING RECTOR FORMAL EXTENSION AND BY WITHDRAWING TEMPORARY ORDER/NOTIFCIATION ISSUED ON 15TH FEB,2012 IN WHICH HE WAS ASKED TO CONINUE WORKING “TILL FURTHER ORDERS” …….


Daughters and Sisters of Umat-e-Muslimah

IIUI Top Guns Lock Horns Over Faculty Hiring, Firing

Dawn.com

By Khawar Ghumman
Monday, 30 Aug, 2010

ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: Top officials of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) have locked horns over hiring and firing of the faculty.

According to sources, Rector Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik last week barred IIUI President Dr Anwar Hussain Siddiqui from issuing any termination letter without the approval of university’s chairman of the board of governors (BoG). Dr Malik is also chairman of the BoG.

The sources said Dr Malik while expressing serious reservations over frequent terminations of the faculty members, which according to him had brought a bad name to the university, asked the president to take the BoG on board in all hiring and firing cases.

It is worth mentioning here that the Supreme Court a couple of months ago had taken suo motu notice of irregular appointments in the International Islamic University.

When contacted, Vice-President International Islamic University (administration & finance) Parveen Qadir Agha contended that the apex court had accepted university’s explanation; hence, the case stood disposed of.

In a written response to queries of this correspondent, she added: “The Supreme Court (human rights cell) did not send a written order as per its rules. As such, the above facts can be verified by obtaining the decision from the court.”

According to the Supreme Court officials, the case was still in process. Similarly, the apex court’s official website, which provides online status of cases, showed no response when the case number “HRC 3056-G/2010” was filled in.

Mohammad Yousuf, on whose application the court took the suo motu notice, had questioned the required experience of three professors who were working as deans of the faculties of Management, Basic and Applied Sciences and Engineering and Technology.

According to Ms Agha, university professor Dr Irfan Khan, the head of the environmental sciences department, was behind the suo motu action against the university.

She said: “Dr Khan had been removed from the chairmanship of the department and the university will also take further action again him.”

When contacted, Dr Khan said: “I expressed resentment on appointment of Dr Riaz Ahmad as Professor (software engineering/dean) of the faculty of basic and applied sciences, because first of all his appointment on contract was not transparent.

It was through silent mode while he was working at the Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, until mid-March 2009 and at the same time he was appointed as dean in January, 2009.

For his appointment, there was no advertisement, no selection board and even no one asked about his credentials and qualifications for professorship.” Therefore, Dr Khan alleged, the university administration had gone against me, and was looking for excuses to throw me out of the job.

“Initially, I was asked to resign. Then in July 2010, the administration conveyed me the adverse remarks in my ACR of 2009 written by Dr Riaz”. He said Dr Riaz commented on his performance during the time when he had even not joined the IIUI.

Dr Riaz is one of the three IIUI professors whose experience was under question in the court.

Dr Khan is the founder chairman of the department of environmental science at the IIUI.

He is the incumbent convener of the National Curriculum Revision Committee in Environmental Science and member of the recently constituted National Think Tank of Environmental Law Reformulation of Planning Commission of Pakistan. Dr Khan, diplomat of Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, holds a PhD degree from London University in environmental science.

According to sources, the IIUI was being governed like a kingdom. For example, the sources said, an assistant professor had been appointed as director of the Institute of Islamic Economics in the presence of four renowned professors like Prof Asad Zaaman, Prof Syed Mohammad Tahir, Prof Hamza Ishaq Bhatti and Prof Zamurad Pervaiz Janjua.

A top official of the university requesting not to be named said Ms Agha was a former bureaucrat but running the university which was completely a different job.

Dr Muhammad Umer Chapra to Deliver Lectures at IIUI

First see this news item from: http://www.umt.edu.pk/khuram_Murad/islamabad.html

Lecture Topic: The Islamic Vision of Development

Date and Time: Tuesday, 30th March 2010, 11:00 am – 1:45 pm
Guest Speaker: Dr Muhammad Umer Chapra, Research Advisor, Islamic Research and Training Institute, Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah

Venue: International Islamic University Auditorium Faisal Masjid Campus, Islamabad

Dr Muhammad Umer Chapra

Dr Muhammad Umer Chapra is Research Advisor at the Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Jeddah. Prior to this position, he worked as Senior Economic Advisor at the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Riyadh, where he served for nearly 35 years. Earlier, he taught at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Kentucky, as Assistant and Associate Professor of Economics respectively, and was associated with the Pakistan Development Review as Senior Economist. Dr Chapra also worked as Associate Editor at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, and as Reader (Associate Professor) at the Central Institute of Islamic Research, Pakistan. A prolific writer and an author of 16 books and monographs and more than 100 papers and book reviews, Dr Chapra is acclaimed for his most outstanding origial contribution of four books: Muslim Civilization: The Causes of Decline and the Need for Reform (2008),

The Future of Economics: An Islamic Perspective (2000), Islam and the Economic Challenge (1992), and Towards a Just Monetary System (1985). Given the originality and impact of his contributions, his works have been translated into a number of languages, including Arabic, Bangla, French, Indonesian, Japanese, Malay, Persian, Polish, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu. Dr Chapra has lectured widely at a number of universities and professional academic and research institutions in different countries around the world, including the Harvard Law School, USA; Loughborough University, UK; the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, UK; the London School of Economics, UK; Universidad Autonoma, Madrid; the University of Malaga, Spain; the House Commons, London; the Islamic University of Rotterdam, the Netherlands and the Asia Pacific and Kyoto Universities in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan. He has participated in a number of meetings of international and regional organizations like the IMF, IBRD, OPEC, IDB, OIC, GCC. He has also served for three years (2002-2005) as member of the Technical Committee of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) established in 2002 to prepare standards for the Islamic financial industry.
Dr Chapra is on the editorial board of a number of professional journals and has acted as referee for a number of others, including the Economic Journal of the Royal Economic Society, UK; the Journal of Socio-Economics, USA; the Journal of Islamic Studies (Oxford), UK; and the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, USA.

Dr Chapra is recipient of numeorus awards including the Islamic Development Bank Award for Islamic Economics and the King Faisal International Award for Islamic Studies. He was also awarded the Institute of Overseas Pakistanis (IOP) Gold Medal in August 1995 by the President of Pakistan for service to Islam and Islamic economics at the First IOP Convention in Islamabad.

For Details Contact

Waqar Ahmed 0300-4357040 Sabihuddin Khan 0333-3233846
A G Ghaffari 0300-8402650 Noor Aslam 0305-4440605,
University of Management and Technology, Lahore
C-II, Johar Town, Lahore-54770, Pakistan Tel: 92-42 35212801-10
Fax: 92-42 35212819 Website: www.umt.edu.pk
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Now see the news item released by IIUI about the same event. There is no mention of who is organizing these lectures and what is the role of University of Management and Technology in this regard. Our media team, if any, is thoroughly unprofessional!

Dr. Umer Chapra to Speak at IIUI

Islamabad. Dr. Umar Chapra, Research Advisor, Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI), Islamic Development Bank(IDB), Jeddah shall be delivering two lectures at the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) on 29th and 30th March 2010 at its Faisal Mosque Campus. His First Lecture shall be on “State of Islamic Economics 2009” and Second lecture shall be on “The Islamic Vision of Development”. Both events are open for all Interested persons.

Syed Muzammil Hussain
Deputy Director,
Public Relations Section
International Islamic University,
Islamabad (IIUI)
Phone No. 051-9019249
Fax No. 051-9257909

Daily Aaj Kal

Saray Jahan Ka Dard Hamaray Jiger Main Hai

Bravo IIUI Academic Staff Association! After resolving all internal problems, our students and teachers are raising voice for Dr. Tahir Malik…!! An "intelligent" move to please His Excellence Dr. Fateh Muhammad Malik.

Dr Nabi Bukhsh Baloch: a nonagenarian scholar

Founders of IIUI Series

By Rauf Parekh: drraufparekh@yahoo.com
Monday, 23 Nov, 2009

Dawn.com: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/dr-nabi-bukhsh-baloch-a-nonagenarian-scholar-319


Some personalities are so versatile and the fields of their achievements so varied and vast that it becomes much difficult to capture their personality in article-length writings. Prof Dr Nabi Bukhsh Baloch is one such personality. He is a multi-faceted diamond whose lustre has not been eulogised in a befitting way. A couple of years ago Pakistan Academy of Letters published a book on him in its series ‘Pakistani adab ke meymaar’. Written by Muhammad Rashid Sheikh, the book titled Dr Nabi Bukhsh Baloch: shakhsiyet aur fun successfully captures at least some glimpses of the personality and literary achievements of the giant known as Dr Baloch. In writing this piece, I have benefited greatly from the book and also from the Urdu translation of an article written by Dr Abdul Jabbar Junejo.

Prof Baloch has written in seven languages — Sindhi, Arabic, Urdu, English, Persian, Balochi and Seraiki. In addition to editing, compiling and translating over 50 books, he has worked on some basic aspects of the Sindhi language, history of Sindh and history of Islamic literature, setting a stage for other scholars to work on. Among such projects, a comprehensive Sindhi dictionary, history of Muslims of the Indo-Pak subcontinent in 25 volumes and 100 great books of the Islamic world deserve a special mention, his other works are not any less important though.

Despite a long history of Sindhi lexicography and a number of Sindhi dictionaries, the writers and scholars of Sindhi had always felt a need for a comprehensive Sindhi dictionary. Dr Baloch took up the project as a challenge and with rigorous field work and deep research compiled a Sindhi dictionary in five volumes, taking care of all technical aspects of lexicology.

Although he had finished the job in 1954, the printing work, beginning in 1957, took too long and the last volume appeared in 1988. Dr Baloch wanted to revise and update it in the light of the classical and folk Sindhi works (that has been published in 43 volumes) but his advice was ignored. His other lexicographic works include a Sindhi-Urdu dictionary and an Urdu-Sindhi dictionary (both in collaboration with Dr Ghulam Mustafa Khan), a one-volume Sindhi dictionary and an edited version of an old Sindhi dictionary.

Aside from his other achievements as director of the National Commission for Research, History and Culture, Dr Baloch had chalked out a grand plan to compile the history of the Indo-Pak subcontinent in 25 volumes since he believed that western scholars and historians have not done justice in writing the history of the region and have largely ignored some very vital source materials such as books and letters written by Sufis and Muslim scholars. Dr Baloch got published as the first volume in the series ‘Chach Nama’, an important source on the history of Sindh in Persian, with an introduction in English. It is a pity that he was removed from the post in 1983 and after he left the entire project was shelved.

In 1983, he was made an adviser in the National Hijrah Council and, as is his disposition, he immediately chalked out a great plan. It was about procuring, editing, translating and publishing great books written in the Islamic world. He believed that Muslims had given the world a great treasure of books in different branches of knowledge and many of them had been wiped out from the face of the earth mainly due to negligence and indifference. The remaining wealth of this legacy should be preserved and spread. It was decided that initially 100 great books of the Islamic world would be edited and published. Baloch sahib visited some of the best museums, libraries and archives in different countries of the world to obtain the manuscripts, copies or rare editions of some of the best books on a variety of topics. He got translated into English and published six of them and the other 10 were in different stages when he was removed. It was fate yet again that hampered his plans otherwise he has never surrendered before difficult times as is evident from his life.

Born in March 1919 in a small village named Qarya Jafer Khan Laghari in the district of Sanghar, Sindh, Nabi Bakhsh Khan Baloch had to bear some great hardships since early childhood to acquire an education. Orphaned at the age of six months and living in a far-flung village that was deprived of all amenities, he fought the odds bravely and did his Masters in Arabic from Aligarh Muslim University in 1943. Here he Prof Dr Nabi Bukhsh Baloch met renowned scholars and professors. Among them was Allama Abdul Aziz Memon, the then head of the Arabic department, who inspired him most. Both struck a friendship that lasted till Allama Memon’s death in 1978. Allama Memon, according to Dr Baloch, used to take a stroll every evening and Baloch sahib, a keen student of his, would give him company. During the walk the able pupil would unleash a deluge of questions about the Arabic language, literature and other innumerable scholastic issues. The erudite teacher would only be glad to reply. With Allama sahib’s permission, Baloch sahib began scribbling down the conversation and the result was a scholarly piece published under the title ‘Mahazraat-e-Memoni’. Under the guidance of Allama Memon, Baloch sahib began research on ‘Sindh under Arabs’ to earn a doctorate. But in 1945 he had to leave it unfinished as Pir Illahi Bux, also an Aligarian, had asked Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, the then Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh University, to relieve Baloch sahib since his services were needed more as a lecturer at the newly established Sindh Muslim College at Karachi.

Winning a doctoral scholarship in 1946, Baloch sahib left for the US where he earned a doctorate from Columbia University on ‘A programme for teacher education for the new state of Pakistan’. In 1949, returning back with a PhD under his belt, Dr Baloch was denied a decent job by the Public Service Commission. He began research on Sindhi folklore and travelled across Sindh for some 13 months with very little paraphernalia. These cumbersome trips on foot and camelback proved very fruitful as he collected invaluable material for his research work on Sindhi folklore which was published later and is held in high esteem. Later, he joined the government’s information and broadcasting division and during his stay in Karachi in 1950-51, carried out extensive research on Sindh’s history proving that the location of Daibel was in fact where the ruins of Bhambhor were situated.

Dr Baloch was selected as the press attaché for the Pakistani embassy in Damascus in 1951. Meanwhile, Allama I. I. Kazi, the then vice-chancellor of Sindh University, offered him to join the university as professor of education. At Sindh University he proved to be an asset and later established a department of Sindhi language and the Institute of Sindhology. He also launched several research journals such as ‘The University of Sindh Journal of Education’ and ‘Sindh University Research Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences’. He was appointed vice-chancellor of Sindh University in 1973.

In 1976, Dr Baloch’s services were obtained by the federal ministry of education and in 1980 he was made the first vice-chancellor of the International Islamic University, Islamabad. The university was very fragile in its early phase and there were only nine students. Here he worked hard to make this nascent university stand out and just when it began to flourish he was removed. In 1990, the Sindhi Language Authority was established and Dr Baloch was a natural choice as its first chairman. In the brief span of his tenure as chairman, he got 25 books published.

But a workaholic as he has been all his life, Baloch sahib could not sit idle and at the ripe age of 75 began fresh scholarly projects. Since then he has published his work on ‘Shahjo risalo’ in 10 volumes, revised the comprehensive Sindhi dictionary in five volumes and authored ‘A treasury of gems’ (a collection of colloquial and rustic idioms of the Sindhi language) in three volumes. The work on the remaining volumes is in progress.

Dr Baloch turned 90 this year and is busy as usual with his scholarly works. His simple life, humility and continuous hard work are lessons for those who complain of scarcity of time and have adverse circumstances as a pretext for not working hard. Here is a glittering and dazzling life to emulate. Tighten your belt!

Desperadoes attack university in Islamabad

Dawn, Wednesday, 21 Oct, 2009


http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-blast1-in-islamabad-qs-07

ISLAMABAD: Three girls were among six people killed on Tuesday in twin suicide attacks inside the International Islamic University, Islamabad. Two blocks were severely damaged.

This is the first time that militants have targeted women and a prestigious Islamic educational institution.

The blasts took place in quick succession in segregated blocks for girls and boys in the university’s campus in the capital’s H-10 sector.

A bomber barged into the women-only facility despite fierce resistance put up by a local worker, blowing himself up at the entrance of the girls’ cafeteria.

The other bomber detonated his explosives-laden jacket on the first floor of the Imam Abu Hanifa block.

A string of attacks have rocked Peshawar, Swat, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Islamabad since Oct 5, killing more than 250 people. The bombings have made October one of the bloodiest months since the beginning of the terrorist attacks.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the strikes.

The incident took place amid reports about threats to educational institutions, some of which decided to close their facilities for a few days.

However, officials of the Islamic University said they were not aware of any direct threat.

‘We were hearing that some schools were being closed down, but we never received any specific threat,’ an outraged Prof Parveen Tariq Agha, the in-charge of the women’s wing, told Dawn.

She rejected suggestion of a security lapse and said the university’s premises were properly secured. But, she said, no one could have guessed that a suicide bomber would target girls in this manner. Other teachers were equally outraged.

‘This is a cowardly act,’ another faculty member said. ‘Those who target students, particularly women, cannot even be considered human beings,’ she said.

The new campus of the International Islamic university is spread over several acres and houses over 17,000 students, including 6,000 women.

There are 2,000 foreign students from 45 countries, but mostly from China and African countries.

Sources said that security and intelligence agencies had information that terrorists would strike a university on Tuesday.

The police said one of the attackers, who was carrying five to seven kilograms of explosives, blew himself outside the office of the chairman of the Sharia Department, killing two people and creating a hole in the office wall and cracking adjacent walls.

Eyewitnesses said that shards of glass and body parts lay scattered in the corridor. Nearby rooms, including a conference room and classes, were damaged by the blast.

The other suicide bomber, they said, struck the girl’s cafeteria after 3pm. Pellets mixed with the explosives also damaged a large area, perforating roofs and walls.

Investigators said they had found skin attached to a forehead and an ear, which they believed were of one of the attackers.

The other attacker, wearing a vest containing five to eight kilograms of explosives, had disguised himself as a woman and was wearing a colourful shawl. He was intercepted by a worker identified as Pervez Masih when he tried to enter the girls’ cafeteria.

It is believed had Mr Masih not stopped the suicide bomber, the death toll would have been higher because about 50 students were having lunch at that time.

A leg believed to be that of the suicide bomber was found in the cafeteria. There was some confusion about the gender of the suicide bomber.

Some students said they had spotted a ‘woman’ acting suspiciously near the cafeteria, but there was no official confirmation.

Shortly after the blast, the area was cordoned off as teams of police, intelligence agencies, bomb disposal squad, civil defence, and doctors arrived at the scene.

Rescue workers said they had removed 37 injured people to nearby hospitals, where two of the injured woman students died. Their colleagues identified them only as Hina and Seher.

A 21-year-old suspect, sporting a light beard and wearing white shalwar kamiz, was arrested from the cafeteria while filming the devastation under the nose of the security personnel.

The man, believed to be an accomplice of the suicide bombers, told police that he lived in a nearby slum. But he had no answer when asked why he was making the video.

Another suspect, said to be in his 20s, was also arrested near the Imam Abu Hanifa Block. He is said to be a resident of Sargodha.

The police said that both of them had failed to come up with convincing explanations about their presence at the scene.

Three other suspects were picked up from a slum in I-11 sector.

Investigators said that the chairman of the Imam Abu Hanifa Block was the attackers’ prime target because he was ‘known for his liberal views’, but he was not present in his office at that time. Interior Minister Rehman Malik faced humiliation for the second time in a week when students compelled him to leave the campus with a hail of stones.

The minister was accompanied by senior officials of the interior ministry and local administration.

Pakistan’s Higher Education Reform Experiment

The latest issue of Nature (Volume 461 Number 7260, September 3, 2009) published an article as well as an editorial on Pakistan’s higher education reform experiment and on the Higher Education Commission (HEC). We are sharing editorial and for article please click here (Pakistan's reform experiment). This article is jointly contributed by Athar Osama, Adil Najam, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Syed Zulfiqar Gilani & Christopher King

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Editorial

Nature 461, 11-12 (3 September 2009) doi:10.1038/461011b; Published online 2 September 2009

Cash costs

Massive funding for Pakistan's ailing universities holds many lessons for other developing nations. Eight years ago, a task force advising Pakistan's former military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, laid out a bold plan to revitalize the country's moribund research system: initiate a fivefold increase in public funding for universities, with a special emphasis on science, technology and engineering. The proposal was a radical departure from conventional wisdom on the economics of developing nations, which favours incremental investments. Sudden surges of cash are held to be dangerous in poorer countries, which often lack the institutions or the calibre of people required to make the most of such a windfall, and the money can easily be wasted or fall prey to corruption.

Nonetheless, Musharraf agreed to the proposal. The reforms began in 2003. And the results, which have now earned a qualified thumbs-up from a group of experts in science and education policy..., offer some valuable lessons for other developing nations.

First, conventional wisdom isn't always right. Despite early doubts that Musharraf's autocratic regime could allocate the new funds effectively, the experts cite initiatives such as a free national digital library and high-speed Internet access for universities as examples of success, as well as new scholarships enabling more than 2,000 students to study abroad for PhDs — with incentives to return to Pakistan afterwards. And they acknowledge that the years of reform have coincided with increases in the number of Pakistani authors publishing in research journals, especially in mathematics and engineering, as well as boosting the impact of their research outside Pakistan.

Second, human capital matters. One concern raised by the report published in this issue is that the 3,500 candidates for Pakistan's new domestic PhD programmes have had lower qualifications than the candidates going abroad. But that is a situation that should correct itself over time as Pakistan's schools improve. For the time being, the more important point is that Pakistan has opened up the chance of a research degree to many more people than in the past — including those who do not have wealthy families, or access to influential people, or good skills in European languages. Harnessing those reserves of talent is an integral part of any nation's development.

Finally, accountability is essential. This was not a priority for the architects of Pakistan's educational reform, partly because they were working for an autocratic regime, and partly because they were in too much of a hurry. The government seemed to be living on borrowed time, Musharraf's science adviser, Atta-ur-Rahman, has recalled. On the one hand, politicians, judges and lawyers were pressing for a return to democracy; on the other, the influence of the Pakistani Taliban was increasing. Suicide bombers twice tried to assassinate Musharraf — once by blowing up his motorcade as he returned from making a speech to scientists. If the reformers didn't get their programme in place quickly, they feared they might not get it in place at all.

The result, however, is that the body created to implement the reforms, the Higher Education Commission, has operated with minimal oversight by academics, parliamentarians or anyone else. There has been some waste, although no one has yet accused the commission of egregious abuses of power. But it has exhibited blind spots that an outside influence might have corrected — notably a total lack of investment in the social sciences and policy research, disciplines that encourage the asking of questions that autocratic regimes frequently dislike answering.

This must change. Pakistan is no longer a dictatorship. The elected government, under President Asif Ali Zardari, has expressed cautious support for continuing Musharraf's education reforms. It therefore has an opportunity to build on their successes and correct their shortcomings — starting with an independent review of the commission's performance.

Good Governance

It is once again established that IIUI is a little Pakistan where “President” and “Prime Minister” are struggling with their powers and the rolling stone is as usual our university! If you have any doubts about this characterization then please go through the following two notifications which were sent within a time span of 2 days about IIUI Convocation 2009. We wonder that why it is always crucial for our administration to specify for their humiliation that “This issues under the instructions of Rector, IIU” and then “This issues under the instructions of President, IIU” After all face-saving is also something! We hope that our new Rector, Dr. Malik, must have learned a hard lesson of living within his limits. Bravo Dr. Siddiqui!

Our Shame: HEC Published Research Output of Pakistani Universities

Higher Education Commission of Pakistan has published and analysis of research publications from Pakistani Universities, which appeared in e-reviewed journals indexed by Thomason Reuters, ISI Web of knowledge during the years 2007-08. The databases of ISI Web of Knowledge used SCI-Expended, SCCI and A& HCI. GC University Lahore got 6th position among all public and private universities of Pakistan. Please click here for details. (Courtesy to: GCU Website)

See where IIUI stands in the list:

1. Quaid-e-Azam University: Publications in 2007: 409 and publications in 2008: 544
2. University of Karachi: Publications in 2007: 276 and publications in 2008: 419
3. Aga Khan University 186 and 311
4. University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 252 and 310
5. University of The Punjab 162 and 278
6. Govt. College University 97 and 154
7. COMSATS Institute of Information Technology 92 and 149
8. University of Sargodha 38 and 115
9. University of Sind, Jamshoro 59 and 105
10. University of Peshawar 77 and 97
11. Bahauddin Zakariya University 50 and 92
12. National University of Science & Technology 48 and 92
13. University of Arid Agriculture 49 and 87
14.University of Engineering & Technology,Lahore 38 and 55
15. DOW University of Health Sciences 11 49
16.GIK Institute of Engineering Science &Technology: 16 and 46
17. University of Baluchistan 28 and 40
18. Islamia University 22 and 40
19. NWFP Agricultural University 20 and 29
20. Lahore University of Management Sciences 19 and 27
21. University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences 11 and 26
22. Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology 07 and 26
23. Gomal University 12 and 24
24. Ziauddin Medical University 07 and 24
25. King Edward Medical University 12 and 23
26. Kohat University of Science & Technology 06 and 23
27. Baqai Medical University 11 and 22
28. International Islamic University: Publications in 2007: 05 and Publications in 2008: 21

For full list, please follow the link provided above. The list is pretty much revealing. We stand far behind in research and publications and IIUI faculty members generally don’t publish. One can argue that our faculty members do publish but largely in non-ISI indexed journals. The point is well taken but then IIUI administration should take up this matter with HEC stating the factual position and asking them to rationalize their criteria of developing such lists. This list is now almost an annual feature of HEC’s quality control procedures to identify hardworking-good guys from sluggish-bad guys. According to this list, we clearly fall in the latter category. Is anybody listening?

IIUI Scholarships

From: http://www.iiu.edu.pk/events/scholarship/hec_scholarship.html

Applications are invited from qualified persons for a limited number of HEC sponsored overseas scholarships (Male & Female) for Ph.D studies in the reputed and recognized Universities abroad for the following disciplines:-

Law
Software Engineering
Psychology
Engineering & Technology
Computer Science
Environmental Sciences
Management Sciences
Telecom Engineering
Mass Communication
Bioinformatics

Minimum eligibility Criteria

1. The applicant shall be a Pakistani/AJK National.
2. Candidates should have minimum M.Phil/MS degree (18 years of education) in the relevant discipline from HEC recognized University/Institution.
3. Should have not less than 50% marks throughout the academic career.
4. Maximum age on June 14, 2008:
a. 40 years for full time regular faculty members of public sector Universities/Colleges and employees of the public sector R&D organizations.
b. 35 years for all others.
5. Candidates must have acquired the requisite academic qualification on the cut off date of the application i.e. 11.05.2009.
6. Persons in receipt of any other scholarship offer are NOT eligible to apply.
7. Preference given to:
a. Those who hold valid admission for Ph.D
b. Candidates who have been offered admission in tuition free institution.
c. Candidates whose admission requires minimum possible fees.
d. Candidates who preferably hold admission to universities in USA, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Scandinavian countries.

Application Procedure

Candidates will be required to fill the application form online and submit printed copy of online application along with non-refundable processing fee of Rs.500/- in the form of Pay Order/Bank Draft in favor of International Islamic University, Islamabad.. Attach following documents along with the prescribed application form:-
1. CV/Resume
2. Attested photocopy of CNIC
3. Most recent photographs (4 Nos.)
4. Attested photocopies of all Educational Testimonials, Equivalence of foreign qualification/s from IBCC/HEC will be required.
5. Statement of Purpose for pursuing higher studies (max. 500 words).
6. Research Proposal.
7. NOC from the employer (in-service candidates).
8. Attested photocopy of valid NTS pass certificate.
9. Attested photocopy of confirmed admission for Ph.D.
10. Three letters of reference from academic/research supervisors.
Eligible faculty members of IIUI, if interested, are advised to route their applications through proper channel. They are not required to pay the processing fee of Rs.500/-.
NOTE:- All above documents should be in proper order.

IMPORTANT NOTE:-

1 All Scholarships will be awarded on open merit.
2 Confirmed and unconditional admission letters should clearly state that the admission is valid for a Ph.D programme.
3 In-service candidates should apply through proper channel. Advance copies will not be entertained.
4 Funding for a maximum period of 4 years will be provided for Ph.D studies. Expenses beyond the allocated fund shall be borne by the candidate himself/herself for which an undertaking will be required after selection.
5 Awardees have to execute a bond with the IIU to serve it for 5 years after completion of study. 6 Continuation of Scholarship shall be subject to satisfactory performance certified by the respective supervisor of the host University.
7 Incomplete and applications received after due date will not be entertained.
8 Selected candidates from institutions other than IIU shall have to resign from their present jobs and will be provided the jobs at IIU as per rules.

NOTE:-

The IIU reserves the right to short list the candidates and to reject any/all applications without assigning any reason.
Click here to download Applications form, duly completed in all respects should reach the Director (Academic Planning & Coordination), International Islamic University, New Campus, Sector H-10, Islamabad by May 14, 2009 through registered mail or courier service.

(Gulzar Ahmed Khwaja)Director(Academic Planning & Coordination)International Islamic UniversityNew Campus, Sector H-10, IslamabadTele: 051-9258044, 0345-5105155E-mail: gulkhwaja@iiu.edu.pk

Row over termination of IIU teachers deepens

IIU president says sacked teachers’ allegations are baseless

The News, http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=162597
Saturday, February 14, 2009 Noor Aftab Islamabad

Row over termination of two senior teachers from the faculty of engineering and technology of the International Islamic University (IIU) Islamabad is deepening day by day as both administration and students stick to their respective viewpoints.

Twelve committees constituted by the students have shown firm resolve that if both the terminated teachers are not restored to their positions they would continue to lodge protest even on the streets of the city.

IIU President Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqui said the contract signed by Dr. Ijaz Mansoor Qureshi, acting dean of faculty of engineering and technology, clearly stated that either side can end the contract on one-month notice without showing any reason.

The IIU administration has terminated the services of Dr. Ijaz Mansoor Qureshi, dean of faculty of engineering and technology and Professor Dr. Ejaz Ahmad that led to protests by the students who alleged that this step was taken on the basis of some personal grudges. The termination letters issued to sacked teachers carried only two to three short sentences without showing any specific reasons for this step. One of the letter issued to Dr. Mansoor Qureshi read “due to some internal constraints we do not require your services”.

Dr. Ijaz Mansoor Qureshi told ‘The News’ that a person sent by the university administration reached his house on Jan 24 in the late evening and asked him to receive his termination letter. “It was just a humiliation so I refused to receive the termination letter at my home. I asked the person that I would come to the university and receive my termination letter in my office,” he said.

Dr. Ijaz, who was working on two-year contract to be expired on June 30 this year, said he received his termination letter on January 26, in his office and was stunned to know that he was dismissed without showing any reason. He said, “I am ready to face the IIU president on any forum and if he wants to hold debate with me I invite him to come and argue with me,” he said. Dr. Ijaz said he had already supervised six Ph.D students and eight more are going to do it in the coming days. He alleged that he was terminated only on the basis of personal liking and disliking of the university administration, adding “I always prefer my work and profession over any other thing”.

When contacted IIU President Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqui said dean of the faculty of engineering and technology was terminated following all the relevant rules and procedures. He said Dr. Ijaz Qureshi, hired on a high salary, was given due respect, but he made a pressure group against the administration and started exploiting on various issues. Dr. Anwar alleged that the sacked dean gave admission to 150 students in MS and Ph.D programmes and when “I asked him (dean) how can we manage when they will start their thesis, then he gave me no proper answer”.

He also alleged that Dr. Ijaz Qureshi forwarded the names of his previous students for two posts who did not have the relevant experience.

“When I oppose their appointment because they were not fulfilling the requirements, then Dr. Qureshi with some other people started pressurising me to get undue favour,” he said. Dr. Anwar said there are 8 faculties and 27 departments having 1,700 male and female students, adding “I don’t indulge in petty affairs so allegations of personal grudges by Dr. Qureshi are quite false and baseless”. Representatives of various students committees, who requested anonymity to avoid any alleged victimisation by the university administration, said new acting dean of the faculty of engineering and technology held a meeting with them on Wednesday and assured that their demands would be fulfilled.

“But on Thursday we were conveyed a message that if they take back the demand of restoration of the sacked teachers then all other demands would be fulfilled in one go,” they alleged. They said they were waiting for the response due to which they did not hold protest demonstration on Thursday and Friday but now they would re-continue their protests unless both dismissed teachers are not restored by the university administration.

Corruption, Nepotism & Maladministration

We have received the following note from various faculty members and we are sharing it here with a view to bring the affairs of IIUI in limelight. Previously, the blog team deliberately refrained from posting the information which we have been continuously receiving from faculty members and university employees. However, the situation has drastically changed now and university affairs are getting worst day by day. It is pertinent that these and many other allegations of corruption, maladministration, nepotism and ideological bias should be thoroughly probed followed by appropriate administrative changes.

I I U I Blog Team
--------------------------------

Open Letter

"Under faculty development programme HEC has approved 29 scholarships for IIUI faculty and has paid 31 million for first phase. Most of the faculty members have paid university fee and residential expenditures in advance with this understanding that University will pay them ultimately. Their Visa has been stamped but Dr. Siddique transfer and spent all money for building construction. All these faculty members and their families are unrest and mentally upset.

Dr. Siddiqu is bounded to strictly follow the criteria of current policy of BOG and HEC but Dr. Siddiqu is going to violate the criteria during the new appointments and can not appoint a person just on these ground that once upon a time he/she was associate professor/ Professor or he/she are working elsewhere other university as associate professor/ Professor so they have no need to fulfill the current eligibility criteria and even no need of medical fitness. Keep in mind that against any post or new appointment the candidate must be required to fulfill the present eligibility criteria given in the advertisement which must be according to current policy, but he is appointing so many people according to eligibility criteria of stone life.

Faculty has a great objection on contractual jobs. There are a lot of examples in which many favorite persons have been appointed against very high positions without any merit and they are being paid a very high salary which is one of the main deficit in budget at IIUI, although they do not qualify even more than lecturer, assistant professor and assistant director but they are acting as Chairman, Dean, Director and full Professors

You know after the age of retirement, Universities can only hire those people who have a strong academic career in their life but only for teaching or constancy/advisory not against the administrative or regular posts like Dean/ Chairman but beyond 65 no question about appointment. But he is also appointed four persons as a Deans who are round about 70 years old. One can dare to ask Dr. Siddique that how can he mange thousand of salary of Contractual people on the name of BOG contract and market subject??

Salary package of contractual people should be equal to the regular faculty members in the whole university or at least faculty wise it should be same. At present the ration between Contractual and permanent is 3:1. Still the regular faculty of BPS IIUI has not received the 20% of increased in their salary announced by government. Would you like to realize sir that how one can survive with this small amount of salary you know we live hand to mouth?

Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqu the President IIUI has appointed many favorite/family persons against very high positions without any merit and still this practice is going on. They all are being paid a very high salary although they do not qualify even more than lecturer, assistant professor but unfortunately they are acting as Chairman, Dean, Director and full Professors.

Dr. Siddique is playing the role of one man in the university. Without any consensus he tries to finalize all the rules and regulation either by force or by pressure. When his own daughter became ceased then he changed and diverts the criteria for readmission.

People having proven illicit affairs with female students are part of faculty and being promoted by the President himself. (Stories of Court marriage is also discussed among the students). Especially the case of Dr. Arbab who tried to black male a student can be verified through Ex Director women Campus Farhat Mujtaba.

He always bulldoze the proceedings of meetings of Academic Council, Selection Boards and take the wrong decisions which create agitation among the students and afterwards take back all decision which has become a routine for him.

He also appointed a Person Dr. Shuja. When he applied as associate professor on TTS during his COMSAT stay then his application was reviewed by Dr. Shokat hameed Ex Rector of GIK (at present is working in Planning Commission). Dr. Showkat hameed found that this person is badly involved in Plagiarism and on his report Dr. Junaid Zaidi terminate his services. One can verify it by Dr. Showkat Hameed.

Dr. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq

Without foreign evaluation he has appointed Dr. Zia in grade 21 in the Faculty of Shariah and Law (He was assistant professor in AIOU), although he did not have required number of Papers in HEC recognized journals and has no LLB and LLM degrees on his credit. His PhD degree is also dubious. First Deans committee was rejected his application for professorship due to less number of publication than after the personal interest of Dr. Siddique, Dr. Zia is selected on the bases of voting through Dean’s committee. This all happened Dr. Siddique influence and pressure. Is it right criteria to appoint a person in grade 21 in the university with out having required number of publication? They have no teaching experience in formal education. Even he did not qualify for associate professor.

Dr. M. Irfan Khan

Dr. Siddique appointed Dr. Irfan as a full professor in BPS 21 who does not qualify even Associate Professor and he is already dismissed from his services from AIOU and has no required number of publications and did not published even a single paper in recognized journal of HEC in the last five years.

Dr. Farkhanda Zia

Dr. Siddique appointed a lecturer Dr. Farkhanda Zia directly in BPS 21 without foreign evaluation who does not fulfill the eligibility criteria and have no required number of publications. She went aboard for PhD on university’s scholarship and did not return after completion of her degree. Dr. Siddique elevated a lecturer to full professor and now she is not willing to serve the university. She is always applying for extended leave and reportedly still out of the country. University authorities decline genuine leave applications of faculty members but no one has asked her about her long term absence after completion of PhD study leave. Instead, Dr. Siddique extended her extraordinary favour.

Dr. M. Sher

In his last tenure his PhD degree was proved fake and now appointed as full professor in grade 21 without foreign referee reports and without meeting the HEC criteria. He has only three HEC recognized papers on his credit.

Dr. Irshad Ahmed Arshad

Dr. Siddique selected a person Dr.. Irshad Ahmed Arshad in grade 20 without foreign evaluation on 31st of January 2009. Dr. Irshad has only one paper in HEC recognized journal, although he claimed 08 number of publication but rest of his seven papers are not published in HEC recognized Journals even one paper has published in one of journal which is black listed and badly involved in plagiarism. Dr. Irshad does not qualify more than Assistant Professor. He is working assistant professor at AIOU nowadays.

FMS

Dr. Farooq, who claims to be nephew of President, was hired as PhD, but he is not a PhD and Dr. Shahbaz Gill is another one. The appointment criterion which was bulldozed for both are the part of FMS conspiracy and as result a man Mr. Danishmand is appointed as Dean in FMS who does not have PhD degree on his credit but also medically unfit for services.

The minimum criteria of HEC for the post of associate professor and professor on BPS 20 and 21 respectively:

Person must have PhD degree for the post of Associate professor and Professor(No relaxation/ no discretion of authority)

For Associate professor 8 publication recognized by HEC journals are required and at least two are with in span of five years (No relaxation/ no discretion of authority)

For the post of Professor ship 12 publications are required and three must be published with in the period of three years (No relaxation/ no discretion of authority)

For the post of Associate professor and Professor Application must be evaluated by foreign expert (No relaxation/ no discretion of authority).

For the post of Associate professor and Professor Application must be appeared before selection board (Relaxation up to discretion of authority).

Ten to 15 years teaching and research experience is also required (Relaxation up to discretion of authority).

In the presence of four senior faculty members at IIIE(ECONIMICS) Dr. Siddique appointed and retired bureaucrat on contractual basis with handsome salary package instated of permanent faculty members because he personally dislike them.

He also appointed Mr. Haider as full profess in FET nowadays he is working as Chairman and acting Dean of FET. This person is badly involved in corruption and dismissed from his services from his previous institute. His corruption can be find out through RASTEK COMPANY.

Keeping in view the plethora of facts it is very humbly suggested that an high profile committee should be formed to review all the selection process and the grievances of the faculty. We feel that at least seven members committee should be impartial and its member should be

HEC nominee
Two nominee of teacher Community
Two nominee from other universities (NUST,COMSAT, QAU)

This committee should submit the report to Chancellor and Chairman HEC for further action.

Yours truly,

Various Faculty Members"

IIU students protest against termination of faculty members

University spokesman claims only one dean dismissedWednesday,

February 11, 2009 Noor Aftab, The News: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=162031

Islamabad Students of the International Islamic University (IIU) held a protest demonstration here on Tuesday against termination of two senior faculty members.

The protesters, carrying placards, chanted slogans against the university administration and demanded restoration of the sacked professors at the earliest.

Various student leaders addressed the gathering and blamed the university administration for taking discriminatory measures against senior faculty members. They said the university administration has terminated Professor Dr. Ijaz Mansoor Qureshi and Professor Dr. Ejaz Muhammad without any genuine reason, as evident from the text of their termination letters.

Dr. Qureshi has served as an acting dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology for one-and-a-half years before his termination. While Dr. Ejaz Muhammad is among those professors who have joined the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and started research and development in the working environment coined by Dr. Ijaz Mansoor Qureshi.

The protesters alleged that research activities at the FET have stopped and students of FET, especially MS and PhD scholars, were bearing a big loss. They appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also chancellor of the IIU, to restore the prominent professors at their respective positions.

NNI adds: A spokesman of the International Islamic University has said that only one dean who was working on temporary basis and whose contract was about to end in June 2009 was dismissed due to his maladministration. The spokesman added that the university has over 17,000 male and female students studying in eight faculties and 27 departments peacefully.

Responses

In response to our post: A season of commemoration at IIUI, we have received the following comments. We are sharing these comments with an aim to initiate a discussion on the institutional character of IIUI and its current focus. Please feel free to post your views in the comments section or write us directly at: iiuiblog@gmail.com. Enjoy the reading!

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Shabib said...

What is International about your University except that you have some narrow minded arabic speaking individuals like yourself in it?The seminar was attended by International envoys and the Minter for Foreign Affairs himself.What could be more International than that ?Re The Archeolgical and Historical Association ,all you need to do is google it !It has been taking envoys and foreign diplomats to various neglected arcelogical sites in Pakistan.They have numerous numerous contributions ...it was because of their efforts that roads got built in towns ,hidden assets of country were dug out!It ha renowned names attached to it ..legends like Dr.Akbar S Ahmed, Ahmed Hasan Dani and Dr.Ghazanfar Mehdi himself.Furthermore, all of the NGOS which Dr.Sahib runs , do not raise funds from the public.You really need to get your head examined before you decide to do your mud slinging on succesful people.And make dua that allah(swt) makes idiots like you , a little more than moaning pots!
February 1, 2009 1:18 AM

Kaiser said...

Isn't this the same University that was suspected to have had a hand in the Bombay attacks?Had it not been for the farsightedness of Mr Siddiqui, this university would closed down as yet another centre responsible for breeding extremism.This University has alot of narrow-minded individuals whose extremist views show clearly a lack of knowledge about Sufiism, Tolerance and Peace.This Extremism is a cancer trying to eat away the very core of the Islamic Faith by removing any recognition of how Islam has been propagated through Love and Peace.The harm extremism has caused the Ummah is immense, almost beyond belief.Even if all non-muslims in the world joined hands and attacked the Muslims it would not have been as damaging as these extremist views and the sinister campaign to propagate them all over the world.We all know the 'International' Programmes the IIUI used to hold..It is this change of stance that has got the IIUI out of the cross-hairs of various agencies.Finally it looks like the IIUI is getting a broader and more worthy international coverage than just local media.Inshallah the IIUI will become a truely International institution as it abandons its extremist past.

Dr Anwar Ahmad Siddiqui: (New) President IIUI

After our following post, the web team has rectified the name error and “Dr. Anwar Ahmad Siddiqui” is now again Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqui. This is not the first time that IIUI’s IT & web team is showing such an excellent level of efficiency and competence. In response to some of our earlier posts, they have done the same thing but never bothered to fix the systematic problems in their working. However, they should be applauded that at least after realizing some problem, they are ready to act. Isn’t it a rare character in our university?


Yesterday morning, we were surprised either at our ignorance or ignorance of one of the scribes who submitted the report of a seminar on Gaza held at IIUI. The first few lines of the report read like this:

"A Seminar on the Israeli War on Gaza: Causes and Consequences was organized by Iqbal International Institute for Research & Dialogue at International Islamic University Auditorium Islamabad. Dr. Anwar Ahmad Siddiqui, President International Islamic University was in the Chair. While the panelists included Professor Amir Ali Hoodbhoy, Ambassador Tayyab Siddiqui, Professor Amna Mahmood Sandhu and Junaid Ahmad,…..( http://www.iiu.edu.pk/News/january_09.html#discussion)"

The most terrible mistake is very obvious: Dr Anwar Ahmad Siddiqui or is it because of our ignorance of Dr Sahib’s recent name change which most of us are unaware of. But what might have prompted Dr Anwar to change his name at this stage of his life?? Then he might not have changed his name and it is all a mischief of a newly recruited reporter or an intern who has not been briefed about the president. The mistake of not knowing the name of a top gun at an institution is forgivable if institutions are more important than individuals but at IIUI, it’s the president of the university who wields all the powers and we feel pity for the scribe who has got the name of the president wrong.

Its not only the President’s name that needs correction. Dr Hoodbhoy’s name is incomplete and we wonder what does Ambassador Tayyab Siddiqui mean? It is nothing but bad taste.

The most important lesson that we learn from this episode is that IIUI does not follow any systematic procedures to upload new materials on the website. Otherwise, mistakes of this kind are easy to avoid. It is our conjecture that the report was prepared by one of the reporters working in the protocol department. His seniors should have approved the report before sending it to the web master who works under a director in IT Centre whose efficiency is limited to ban IIUI blog being accessed from University network. He should also be responsible for approving all the content that goes online. In this case it seems that there is no filter between the reporter and the readers like us and one day it may result in some weird happening that will embarrass all at the helm of affairs. But do they ever get embarrassed????

A season of commemoration at IIUI

Our IIUI is always in news and this time the buzz word is "remembrance" as allsorts of conferences and references are in pipeline. While we were struggling to digest the political correctness of Dr. Siddiqui and others after the International seminar on Benazir Bhutto, the next mega event is announced and this time IIUI is "holding an international conference to highlight the historic spiritual role of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakria". Makdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister of Foreign Affairs will be the Chief Guest at this occasion.

There are certain remarkable things about organizing a seminar in our university. First, almost every event which we organize is "international" by default because we are an "International" university. Secondly, we are marvelous people when it comes choosing partner organizations. One can notice university's growing affinity with the "prestigious" Archaeological & Historical Association of Pakistan led by Mr. Ghazanfar Mehdi. Out of our sheer curiosity we were unsuccessfully trying to find the research and academic profile of this Islamabad based association. Then we realized that it is indeed a fake organization like several dozen other in the pocket of Mr. Ghazanfar Mehdi who is readily available to exploit the platform of any institution to strengthen his public relations and "ancillary" activities. What IIUI is getting out of this relationship is yet to be explored.

So we are having this seminar and what next? May be the urs of Hazrat Barri Imam or Hazrat Mehr Ali Shah? Presumably not! We think that the strategic Siddiqui-Mehdi alliance will further show their political correctness and in-depth understanding of political governance in Pakistan and their next move should be the following:

-A global conference to highlight the spiritual role of Syed Musa Pak of Multan and inevitably the Prime Minister of Pakistan would be the Chief Guest.

-A national conference to highlight the role of Makhdoom Talib-ul-Mola, the spiritual leader of Sarwari Jammat and the father of Commerce Minister, Makhdoom Amin Fahim.

There are several other possibilities which Mr. Ghazanfar Mehdi can share to get the things done according to the expectations of university authorities. We are happy that Dr. Siddiqui has excellent advisors around him at this critical juncture of his career to help him perpetuate the severe crisis of governance and leadership at IIUI. We cannot expect anything better from him and his team which belong to “prestigious” phony organizations. However, we were definitely expecting a much better and decent response from Dr. Manzoor Ahmad amidst this crisis but apparently he is no where too.

IIUI teachers observe strike

The News, Tuesday, December 02, 2008By Our correspondent

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=150184

Islamabad: A token strike was observed by the faculty members of International Islamic University against the financial and administrative mismanagement of the higher authorities of the university.

The university teachers and heads of various departments gathered in front of the main block of the university to register their protest and demanded the twenty percent increase in their salaries as promised by the government in the last fiscal budget. All of the teachers were wearing black bands around their arms.

Addressing the gathering of teachers, the President of Academic Staff Association (ASA) of the university, pressed the university authorities to meet the legitimate demands of the teachers’ community. The President of ASA said that the additional appointments of different individuals on lucrative posts were badly affecting the financial health of the university.

This protest was the first phase of the series of protests chalked out by the Association in consultation with entire academic staff a couple of days ago, told one of the ASA members. He added that in the next phase the teachers’ community had planned to hold press conferences and protests if their demands were not met.

It is pertinent to mention that almost all the universities in public as well as private sector have given a 20% increase in the salaries of their employees except IIUI, which claims to bear international character and Islamic following.

We want to hear from you!

As an IIUI faculty member and academician, have you ever heard about the meetings of university’s Board of Governors (BoG), Academic Council, Deans and Directors Committee, Board of Studies, IIUI Purchase & Procurement Committee etc.? Any chance, though accidentally, to go through the minutes and decisions of such meetings? Have you ever considered that who represents you in these meetings about certain very crucial issues of academic nature and career path? Who decides that who would be your representative and how do some handpicked representatives perform on these forums? Have they ever reported back to their constituents to solicit feedback and response formulation? Have you ever been asked at IIUI to chose your representative for various committees’ membership?

If you are absolutely shocked with these questions and finding yourself a “missing person” in the discourse then come along and share your thoughts about these issues with us for our upcoming post on this topic. Please send your thoughts to: iiuiblog@gmail.com