The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has placed Gomal University Vice-Chancellor Prof Zafar Iqbal on a 90-day forced leave and constituted a three-member committee to investigate the administrative affairs of the university.
The decision was approved by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in his capacity as Chancellor of Gomal University under Section 12(8) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act, 2012, acting on the recommendations of an earlier inquiry committee constituted by the Higher Education Department.
To ensure administrative continuity, Imranullah Khan, the senior-most administrative officer at the institution, has been appointed as acting registrar until further orders.
The three-member inquiry committee will be headed by the Commissioner of Dera Ismail Khan. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Peshawar and the Registrar of the University of Science and Technology (UST), Bannu, will serve as its members, with the UST Registrar also acting as the committee’s secretary.
The committee has been tasked with investigating several matters, including an alleged firing incident by a university security officer on a student at the Law College, drug abuse in a hostel, appointments allegedly made in violation of merit, and other charges against the university administration.
It will also examine the university’s administrative structure, financial management, security arrangements, hostel administration, student discipline, and recruitment procedures.
The committee is authorised to record statements from all stakeholders, identify instances of negligence, misuse of authority, or rule violations, recommend legal or departmental action against those found responsible, and propose administrative reforms.
It has been directed to submit an evidence-based report to the Higher Education Department within two weeks.
The decision drew a mixed response from academic and administrative circles. Some faculty members and officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move would create uncertainty at the university.
Several civil society members also criticised the decision. Gomal University Syndicate member retired Justice Mohammad Daud Khan, along with President Sohail Ahmed Azmi, General Secretary Mohammad Ali Marwat, and other members, described it as an attempt to derail an ongoing reform process at the university.
The provincial government, however, stated that the forced leave was imposed based on the findings of the earlier inquiry committee, and that the newly formed committee will submit its report before any further action is taken.
