Please refer to your editorial note published in daily The Nation titled “Replacing University Heads” published on Saturday December 03, 2016. 

First of all, we want to clarify the impression created in the editorial which reads that “in general, the staff of the universities, particularly the Punjab University, seem to have taken to this decision positively”. We are Academic Staff Association, the elected representatives of the university teachers, strongly contradict this statement. Punjab University teachers have expressed their concern over judgment and have expressed solidarity with Dr Mujahid Kamran. The ASA has officially issued press releases and a meeting of Punjab University teachers was held at Al Raazi Hall on Friday December 02 in which more than 250 teachers including deans and heads of various departments from New Campus, Old Campus, Gujranwala Campus and Jhelum Campus participated. 

In the meeting, the university teachers unanimously expressed solidarity with Dr Mujahid Kamran and acknowledged his services for promotion of research culture in the university. Before he took charge, the university was at 6 in the ranking and now it is second in HEC ranking and No 1 in Pakistan in international ranking by webomatrics. Dr Mujahid Kamran has also expunged university from rogue elements and has provided a peaceful academic atmosphere, which was an impossible task and nobody could even dream of it. 

Secondly, Dr Mujahid Kamran obtained two last tenures on merit. He was the first Vice Chancellor who was appointed through a high-powered Vice Chancellor’s Search Committee in January 2008 on merit. And again for third time, the overall marks obtained by the Vice Chancellor put him No 1. The university is on the road to progress only due to the vision and policies adopted by Dr Mujahid Kamran during his vice-chancellorship. The people on campus know Dr Mujahid Kamran is perfect for this job, who has transformed the culture of the university and everybody is witnessed to that. The teachers are very dismayed and disturbed over such a unrealistic and biased editorial note. 

DR MAHBOOB HUSSAIN, 

Lahore, December 3.