ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has requested the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Muhammad Raza to suspend the illegal appointment of Dr Niaz Ahmed as the Vice Chancellor of University of Punjab.
In a letter written to the CEC, the PTI Spokesperson Andleeb Abbas said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government appointed Dr Niaz Ahmed as the VC Punjab University in grade 22 on June 2, 2018 under the pretext of following the Supreme Court of Pakistan orders.
Andleeb Abbas said that as per the Section 5 (4) of the Elections Act, 2017, the Section 5 (4) of the Elections Act, 2017 says “Any government or authority shall not post or transfer any official appointed or deputed in connection with an election without prior approval in writing of the Commission including posting or transfer the decision in respect whereof has not been implemented, and the Commission may itself issue necessary directions to any such government or authority for the posting or transfer of any official.”
The PTI Spokesperson said that as per this law any political appointment made after the announcement of election schedule is illegal and irreversible. She said that Dr Niaz Ahmed was appointed on June 2, 2018 in grade 22 after the announcement of the Election Schedule on May 31, 2018, which clearly violates the above-mentioned Election Act 2017.
Andleeb Abbas said that the Punjab University houses 45,000 students and has historically been vulnerable to the political affiliations of its Vice Chancellors. She said that Dr Niaz has a history of being affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and has held official posts earlier in his career with this political party.
In view of this violation of laws of Election Act 2017, we request the honorable CEC to take immediate action to suspend this illegal appointment, she said.
