Sindh University employees protest for justice

HYDERABAD:Employees of Sindh University under the aegis of Sindh University Employees Welfare Association (SUEWA) continued their protest on the 20th consecutive day on Friday, pressing for removal of vice-chancellor Fateh Muhammad Burfat for his failure to overcome the ongoing financial crises and non-fulfillment of legitimate demands.

Hundreds of employees carrying banners in their hands staged demonstration and observed sit-in at the main entrance point of Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah Administrative building (AC-II), University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

They chanted slogans against the vice chancellor Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat and illegally appointed registrar Ameer Ali Abro and director finance Dr. Hakim Mahessar for their corruption, embezzlement in funds, financial irregularities, illegal transfers’ postings, serving the officers with explanation letters, retaliatory actions and non-fulfillment of demands submitted to the university administration.

Addressing the protest demonstration, the president SUEWA Muhammad Ali Ghanghro said that the university administration had resorted to making false promises and killed the time of almost three years but no demand was fulfilled so far.

He said that the employees were in the state of protest movement and they will return their homes after the fulfillment of all the legitimate demands.

He said that when Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat had joined Sindh University as vice chancellor on January 17, 2017; he was the one to receive and shower rose petals on him but VC could turned to become an apple of discord after he disregarded his own words.

“Dr. Burfat had vowed to make SU like Oxford University but we now say that don’t need Oxford University, for God’s sake, let our university work as it is”, Mr. Ghanghro said.

He cautioned that they would start a hunger strike till death if their demand was not fulfilled soon.

President Sindh University Officers’ Association (SUOWA) Syed sajjad Shah lashed out at vice chancellor and his team and said that the head of the Alma Mater was alleging officers of corruption where as he himself is involved in bribery and dishonest dealings.

He said the investigation report of anti-corruption establishment (ACE) in 2018 proved that Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat and his crony Ameer Ali Abro was involved in mega corruption.

“The deeds of Dr. Burfat and his inept team repeats the proverb that a person who has spent his entire life in wrongdoings, towards the end starts preaching morality and spirituality”, Mr. Shah said.

On the occasion, the president of Sindh University Teachers’ Association (SUTA) Dr. Nek Muhammad Shaikh said that the university administration was perturbed on taking out a historical rally by the joint action committee (JAC) adding that it compelled the administration to constitute a committee to hold negotiations with the leaders of protesting stakeholders.

He said the university administration will still try to divide the JAC by offering its members cupidity and greed but everyone will have to take care of it.

It may be noted that the lukewarm response of university administration to the legitimate demands of joint action committee (JAC) landed the institution in trouble. The vice chancellor Fateh Muhammad Burfat and his team are held responsible for alleged rampant corruption, favoritism, nepotism and transfers of officers to other campuses.

The corruption of VC and registrar surfaced after the report submitted by the deputy director of anti-corruption establishment in 2018.

Afterwards in May 2019, the VC was suspended by the government of Sindh and an inquiry was initiated against him after serving him with a show cause notice but Dr. Burfat instead of facing the allegations of moral turpitude, corruption, embezzlements in funds, misappropriations, irregularities, illegal appointments had filed petitions at Sindh High Court Circuit Hyderabad and got stay order in June, this year.

The hearing of the case is now on September 24, 2019. However the JAC has decided to be present on the day and appeal to the honorable court reverse the verdict of stay order granted to VC Dr. Burfat through their counsels.