The Public Relations (PR) section of the province's largest public sector university is said to have been functioning without any specific rules and regulations, a fact which sources said had led to politically-motivated appointments on key slots like that of APRO. Recent appointments have caused unrest in the PR section.
According to details, the university administration has recruited Dr Naveed Iqbal and Farheen Zehra, a politically-backed candidate, on September 13 and November 21, 2009 respectively. Dr Naveed, a 17 grade university official was transferred to PR department on 16 grade post of APRO in September last year, while Farheen Zehra was appointed on November 21, 2009 on six-month contract basis.
Sources said that Farheen Zehra, a graduate of Department of English, was appointed on November 21, but her joining date in official record of the university is September 9, 2009. There was an approximate difference of two months between the appointment date and the joining date, sources added.
"A war has been started among two candidates for the office of APRO that has resulted in unrest not only at public relations office, but also in other departments, which are associated with the section, sources said, adding that the university management is facing difficulties to pay monthly salaries to its employees and on other hand it is appointing two candidates for the same post."
They said the university administration has arranged a separate sitting arrangement for a contract employee and provided her with all benefits of permanent officer, which had created uncertainty in the department. "The budget of the department expanded after appointment of another APRO on contract basis, which had created a fear among other contractual employees," sources said.
Talking to Business Recorder, Head of PR Department, Qazi Saleem, whose position in the section could also not justified, said that Dr Naveed Iqbal was transferred and posted in the department while Farheen Zehra would contact the concerned department after completion of her contract. About difference of two months in appointment and joining date of Farheen Zehra on government record, he refused to comment owing to some problem.