ISLAMABAD, Oct 19 (APP):The Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan (FCCP) has dismissed an appeal filed by Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University, Peshawar, and upheld an earlier judgment in favour of its female teacher, Syeda Laila.
During the hearing, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi observed that the teacher had served the university for three years after completing her PhD, yet the institution was still harassing her.
The university’s counsel, Rehmanullah, argued that the government had provided the teacher with a scholarship of Rs5.6 million for her PhD, in return for which she was required to serve the university for three years.
He said she had remained on leave for 196 days during that period.
Justice Rizvi questioned how the university could challenge the leave when it had itself approved her leave applications. The court also asked why the teacher had resigned and what action had been taken against the officials who had sanctioned her leave.
The judge further observed that the university had not selected Syeda Laila for the post of assistant professor but had instead recruited an outside candidate. He remarked that public funds had been spent on her PhD, yet another person was appointed to the position afterwards.
After examining the university’s arguments, the court dismissed its appeal and upheld the earlier decision in favour of Syeda Laila.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
