Founding VC of FJWU and forgery suspect, Dr Najma Najam, to take charge of Karakuram International University – Gilgit, as vice chancellor
by Noor
Gilgit, Jun 10: Dr Najma Najam has been appointed the vice chancellor of Karakuram International University, Gilgit, after the resignation of Dr Aziz Ali Najam. Dr Najma called on President Asif Ali Zardari yesterday and is expected to take charge of her new office next week. Dr Najma holds a PhD degree in Neurosciences from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA.
She is the founding vice chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, having over 30 years of university teaching and research experience. She has also worked for over 28 years at the Punjab University. She is wife of Professor Mujahid Kamran, vice chancellor of the University of Punjab.
Although the learned professor has the reputition of building Fatima Jinnah Women University into one of the country’s best learning centers, she had also been named in the notorious group of accused “Forgery Masters”, by a professor who was ousted from the University of Punjab, on accounts of plagiarism.
See SOURCE for alleged charges of forgery and corruption against Dr Najma . Dr Najma had refused to comment on this website at that time, when contacted by media.
Also included in this group were Dr Mujahid Kamran, Prof. Dr. Yasmin Nilofer Farooqi, Prof. Dr. Rukhsana Kausar and Prof. Dr. Shaukat Ali.
Dear North
People of North Wake up, south is making it a pool of dirt, is this what we have dreamed for is that what we want , and want our future to have, heaven for most corrupts.
What she will make out of it,
I think she would be better than Prof Saleem.
professer dr najma najam is indeed very talented person ..kiu will fly at aheights under her regime …..it is a source of chance for kiu.she brought fjwu to height of progess and ll inshallah kiu ll gain tooo
pretty strange decesion, don’t know what the high offecials are gona do with this university.
May b she is competent but here u have to know n uze ur authority without any descrimination n hasitation, like the previous VC Dr. Aziz Ali Najam did.
at the begining, KIU got truely obedient students, sincere faculity and a dedicated VC like Dr. Najam.
my wishes are always with KIU for sucess n bright future.
we can’t ignore the contribution of the fromer persident Musharraf. these sort of gifts are rare n realy admirable for a nation.
KEEP ROCKING KRUMIANS.
Dr Najma Najam is having good profile in education i hope KIU will progress under her supervision CHANGE is must to to give chance to different people who are from the educational background and have good experience of working for different universities in pakistan and outside country Dr Aziz Ali Najam was good lets see Dr Najma Najam…..
Dear Readers,
Well, what we can say about her, she holds a PhD degree in Neurosciences from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA, and experienced vice she is the founding vice chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, having over 30 years of university teaching and research experience.
Our honorable President Asif Ali Zardari appointed her, due to his endless efforts in the development of Fatima Jinnah Women University, and her effortful tenure at the Punjab University which is 28 glorious years.
Taking into reference all the above paragraph a small question wake up in the mind that is northern areas lacked professionals, if yes than the appointment of Dr. Najma Najam is justified, but if not then it’s a clear injustice from the peoples of Gilgit, In my opinion there are many peoples in abundance there, who have magnificent educational background and are known to be as professionals. May be its better replace Dr Aziz Ali Najam with the local professional of Gilgit.
Regards
Basit .
The post of VC should have been advertised and selection should have been made through open competition rather than such back door appointments.
Well its a bit strange for us to hear that news.. well we cant do anything about that decision taken.. we have to take the right path and make this university a learning center.
I personally welcome her. i sure she will do the job in a better way and will contribute much more for the betterment of the university.
CONGRATULATIONS to Prof Dr. Najma Najam for her new and adventurous assignment/responsibility as the VC of the KIU. Dr. Aziz Ali Najam, the former VC, had his great and positive inputs and contributions to this novice university and the poor community, which could not be ignored by those who think in an academic term and ratonal manner, not influenced or embraced by the biasocracy.
No one in this world could be infallible, except the Almighty God. Being human, besides the positive facets that we all possess, we have also woven ourselves intricately in errors whether it be blunder, mistake or other negative facets. And this is why we are called human. The question comes that to what extent, we have learnt lessons out of our errors or otherwise? And of equal importance, to what extent our negative facets (mindset/attitude/behavior) have contributed negatively to or damaged the society? Second, at what level or scale, the positive dimension that we possess has contributed positively to the society OR given opportunity with generosity and without jealousy to perform so the positive dimension of ours?
Thus, if here it is agreed, then let’s come to the point. It has been mentioned above that Prof. Najma Najam has got diverse experiences in breadth and depth whether it is regarding teaching or research or administration; and more particularly, being the founding VC of Fatima Jinah Women University, Rawalpindi. It has also been added to Prof Najam Najam’s credit that she worked hard and brought that university to the level of best universities in Pakistan. If there is no ambiguity and this is a reality then what was the need to mention the accusation (as has been described) which means a blame and which is not legally proved by any legal institution. For instance, if it [the accusation] were true then how come the legal mechanisms including courts are silent? Why the there is no litigation against the aforesaid names given above? For God’s sake, we need to be cautious and avoid in disseminating such the news. She hasn’t joined yet her responsibility and we started plowing the seeds of hatred, digging the trenches exclusion and raising walls rather fronts of of rivalry against her. Who will ultimately be the sufferers? The susceptible students and communities of the region and no one else. Shall we then start a tug-of-war with this VC? Should this be our business?
I think there were some commentators advocating that we have got our own professionals who could run the university. I must mention here bluntly that no doubt there could be competent academic professionals in the NAs, but do we people forget or ignore the mentalities bred by and found in our landscape/soil? What sorts of politics are dominant here? Sectarian conflicts! Whether explicit or implicit that prevail everywhere including, with due apologize, in the Karakoram Local University (KLU). I am sorry to say that the mentalities of the peoples are embedded in their respective localities [localism/regionalism], their own sectarian shells [sectarianism], their own ethno-linguistic nests [clanism/ethnicism/lingualism]; and that is all. This is our worldview. We could not tolerate a devoted and capable person like Dr. Aziz Ali Najam, the previous Vice Chancellor who worked hard, zealously, selflessly and fearlessly for the development of this university to take it to the level as it has been claimed in the name (i.e., International), and the region which deserves it being a rendezvous of Central and South Asia and China But our peoples, intoxicated in their biasocracy, did not tolerate him due to his strategy of meritocracy which was impediment on the way of their biasocracy (i.e., favoritism, nepotism, localism or otherwise).
There may rise question in our peoples mind that why I have been so categorical or blunt by describing about these points. There could be any genuine reason under carpet, being a former young university student representative ofour time. Our peoples, especially youth and students’ community might not know that how did this university come to being? Could there be any background or was it really a blessing by General Musharaf, as some people do advocate?
Yes, Mr. Musharraf was there who favored in establishing this university during his dictatorial era. It is his kindness. What could be the background then? I think today it is pertinent to share some interesting facets, there could be more, of it with you, if you want the story (the true event now entered in the story-case) and there may not be exaggeration in relating the story.
It was in 1998 that the Lahore High Court gave its judgment and abolished the medical seats of the Northern Areas of Pakistan in the medical colleges of Punjab Province. Our so-called and remote controlled Northern Areas Legislative Council was inactive. Mr. Nazir Sabir was, I think, our Education Advisor. Mr. Mehr Dad was the Education and Health Secretary for the NAs. Our deserving medical students (future doctors) who had been nominated by the Directorate of Education (DOE) against the allocated medical seats were debarred in getting admission. In such circumstances, what could be done?
I was at that time engaged with my coursework of M. Phil Program in the Qaud-e Azam University from the Area Study Center (American and African Studies). Dr. Aziz Ullah Baig of Gulmit/Gilgit (who now works in Afghanistan) was in the Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) and I was staying with him; and Mir Tazim of Jaghlot (who is now Deputy Controller of Exams in KIU) was doing his BBA from Barani University, Rawalpindi. There were a sizeable number of our other zealous, dedicated and bold students of the NAs studying in the twin cities of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Peshawar University and Abbotabad. In short, some of us had a series of meeting, formal/informal, on this genuine issue and it was decided that there should be a demonstration in Islamabad at the Constitutional Avenue despite the fact that there was a security problem and the article 144 imposed [not specifically for us;]. Therefore, more than two persons could not walk together or travel on bikes.
Before proceeding ahead to describe about the demonstration (of May 13, 1998), it is worthy to highlight fairly my role regarding the students’ affairs in Peshawar University during my Master program (1995-97) that gave me an edge, encouragement and experience in handling the states of affairs in Islamabad regarding the students’ genuine problem and the demonstration. I wrote an article in 1996 addressing the educational issues of NAs that got published for two days consecutively in the Frontier Star, an English Newspaper, in Peshawar that brought the isues to the authorities. Then having my central role, I along with my few companions met the heads of each department of the university and briefed them about our issues. Notable among my companions were Qayum Ali Shah of Ghulkin (who was always with me and very supportive); and then Melad Karim of Baltit/Gilgit (both of these guys were in the Agricultural University, Peshawar), Muhammad Ali of Hussaini and a junior of mine in the Farsi Department (now an orator (teachers’ educator), and Dr. Orangzeb (an active junior of ours studying in Khyber Medical College). We wrestled for our rights and made it a reality by succeeding in allocation of seats in almost all departments of the university for our students of NAs in 1996. It was a great achievement, indeed as we had not place/seat in different departments and we used to suffer. I myself was one of the suffers as my admission in the department of anthropology was denied; and in 1994; Ghulam Rasul, a good friend of mine from Ghulmit and a student of anthropology in this university, made my admission possible in Farsi Department. On humanitarian grounds only two or three departments used to accommodate our students but depending on the respective individual’s humanistic mood. Dr. Sher Zaman of Hunza, God bless him, who is a sincere and honest gentleman, was at that time the Joint Secretary in the Establishment Division Islamabad; and who is not only a witness but rather was also a great supporter/advisor of our genuine struggles. Thrice, I had gone to him from Peshawar University in order to take his advice and support on the cited matter and that worked fruitfully. Mr. Nazir Sabir was our Education Advisor (for the NAs) and I had met him and intimated on phone about these developments in Peshawar University and I suggested him to write an official letter of gratitude on his behalf and on behalf of the NALC (as Dr. Parveen, the then woman NA councilor) to the Vice Chancellor of Peshawar University, Prof Dr. Farzand Ali Durani, and also to send a courtesy copy to Mr. Ajmal Khan, the Great, who was the Provost of the University, but very humane and authoritative who made it possible to ratify the genuine issue of our students admission v/s seats of NAs in the Syndicate. The Chairman IR department was very supportive in this regard in lobbying with his colleagues in the syndicate. It is noteworthy that after this great achievement of seats allocation, for the first time in the history of Northern Areas more than 15 students (including 6 or 7 female) entered in the masters’ and BA Hon (one of my younger sisters Husn Zareen got admission in the Islamic Center, but in the meanwhile she also had got admission in Islamabad; therefore, Aejaz Karim of Gulmit, presently in USA, needed to be adjusted here) in different departments of the Peshawar University and some of these students took positions in their annual exams of 1996.
In brief, based on the earning from this voluntary work experience and a achievement, it became easy for me take up and lead the issue of the medical students v/s their seats and other issues of our students of the Northern Areas including a proposition of a university for the NAs before the Higher Authority. Forming different groups, hiring taxis and riding the buses and vans plying to Islamabad from Rawalpinid, we gathered at the “Awami Markaz” and immediately started our protest with the name of “Peace Demonstration”, chanting uncontroversial slogans and raising banners and play-cards against the unjust decision of the Lahore High Court and this demonstration continued for more than five hours. Sooner, the Islamabad police with awesome number, more than us, reached there to cope with situation and I had to immediately disguise myself before the authorities as an international electronic media reporter from Gilgit in order to safeguard our students and our noble mission and clandestinely giving advice in our local languages to other seniors/reps. At that time there was no private TV channels running in Pakistan. Print media persons came there and coverage was given to the issue. Dr. Aziz Ullah Baig, Mir Tazim, Marteli of Chilas and I myself were the four representatives of 140 students devoted and bold students of the Northern Areas gathered outside. On 13 May, we had our long meeting with Mr. Abbas Khan, Secretary Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA). Mr. Mehrdad Khan, Secretary Education NAs and Mr. Shabaz Khan (an advocate of Gilgit) were also there when we were in an iron mould. Then on 15th May, 1998, we had our most crucial meeting with the Federal Minister for KANA, Lt. General Majeed Malik: Secretary KANA, Abbas Khan, and Secretary Education and Health, Mehr Dad Khan, were also in this meeting. We presented the issue of medical seats and our proposals/recommendations in written form to the Minister identifying 15 key areas of development in the Northern Areas. It is interesting to note that we were computer non-literate at tha time, but the proposal we had prepared (written by me) was computerized in Blue Area at 1:00 AM (after mid-night) and reached Aziz’s hostel in Rawalpindi. Next morning, we had our meeting.
A variety of thematic areas of issues was there in the written proposal. After the writ petition against the judgment of the High Court, the second most significant point, which I had especially proposed keeping in view the admission discriminations with our students of NAs at University level, was a “University of the Northern Aras” (though no name was suggested for the University) so that our students should have the higher education facility with dignity and meritocracy at their doorsteps and their should be an enabling environment for them.
In this meeting we were 12 delegates of the students (one, I remember was Bahadur of Yasin, and names of other companions/colleagues I have forgotten unfortunately). In this fruitful meeting of more than one hour, the Minister appreciated our work and honored our just stance by saying that “Your representatives from the NAs don’t come up with such approaches and proposals rather they come here with a sort of aggression.” He thus assured us that those proposals shall be met.
Sooner the write petition was filed by the Federal Govt. on behalf of the NAs in the Supreme Court against the Lahore High Court and we also attended the Supreme Court twice. Mr. Hafiz ur Rehman of Yasin, currently the Secretary Law in Giglit, is not only a witness, but rather he was the gentleman who was pursuing it legally along with related people. On the second hearing, we got the judgment by the Supreme Court in our favor and our helpless but deserving medical students like Shahida Aziz Ullah of Hussaini, now a doctor, and others got their admission after a lapse of three months in getting into the medical colleges of Punjab. So this was a nobe achievement, indeed.
The purpose of relating this story was to emphasize that behind any important scene, there remain forces that bring the scene into action. And the KIU was not just a “manu salva”, but rather an invigorated move was there advocating for it. If a child would not cry, no one would care that much to know what is his/her problem; but when s/he starts crying, the peoples around start getting concentrations towards her/him. And after the coup d’état on October 12, 1999, Musharaf looked for such genuine issues through its ministry (KANA) and then he granted the University for the people of NAs with the name of Karakoram Intenrational University (KIU), which is appreciable, indeed.
Now, I think it should be clear about the “hue and cry” that there has been a genuine share in the conception of this university, and that what were the dreams for the University. But what are being done in the KIU? To what direction, our students are moving? What mentality our teachers have got? To what caliber they are in terms of their capacities and competencies? These are the basic questions that need to be answered. If KIU is a university, then the thoughts and visions of the teachers and students should rather must also move universally and create within themselves the elements of “universe” [uni-verse].
God bless our peoples including the teachers, and especially our dear students of the so-called Northern Areas by conferring them with strong faith in action and vision in better envisioning their future, and living together with a positively pluralistic environment.
AT the end, it is hoped that Prof Dr. Najma Najam would honestly and ingeniously tackle the situations in KIU keeping in view the different hidden societal layers. But I hope that she would pick this university from the local level to the real international level, as the previous Najam had his thoughts and vision. I conclude with this sentence that “Meritocracy must be used as a weapon against the biasocracy.”
Fazal Amin Beg
Respected Fabeg (Musofier dar Jahon)
Your narration is inspiring. Surely your efforts, as narrated, are examples of practical work, instead of sloganeering.
However, it is obvious from the language of the report that Dr Najma is not being accused. We are reporting different dimensions of the story.
The people of GB vividly remember the type of glorification that preceded the arrival of people like Azam Khan (first KIU VC), and we also stand witness to the aftermath of their adventures in the filed of nepotism, sectarianism and mismanagent.
Dr Najma, Dr Khalid Kamran and the other three have been mentioned in the press several times, in relation with the intellecual crimes that they are accused of. And we know that in this land of the pure, only the impure have been able to evade rightful verdicts against their crimes. So, the element of doubt is always there. It should always be there, from a journalistic perspective.
Noor
Dear KIU Fellows.
we were looking farward to the process of VC appointement eagerly.
eventually we got the result.
I hope that things will be better than past inshallah.
Dr.Najama is no doubt very competent personality having thirty years of acadmission.
I hope this will chage the entire environment of haterd at kiu.
I totally differ from viwo point of Dr. Sabit Rahim that i myself witness the advertisement by HEC for VC and we were hearing from people about interview session and shortlisting process .
I think the whole process seems transparant and there was no backdoor appointment observed .
we hope for better in future.
I m ending my statement with a Qout.
“a sound foundation for a civilization is a sound state of mind”
Zahidullah
Lecturer
CS/IT deptt.
KIU
03239900747/03555401781
zahid_u2000@yahoo.com
zahidullah@kiu.edu.pk
Pity on your nation that still relies on personalities to cure the malaise that is institutional. Please come of out personality worshiping habit and focus more on institutional dimension.
Hi North,
Selection of new vc.
Many congratulation to each & every education lover of north.
I personally welcome her. i sure she will do the job in a better way and will contribute much more for the betterment of the university.
Dear Zahidullah Sahb,
Your comment may be 100 persent right but what a politics you are doing in the pulic blogs of publishing the internal politics being an employ of taht institution.It is against the desipline of any government or semi government institution.As you said you are a lecturer not the spokesperson of KIU.
This politics seems may be written by some people against your interests.But if it is you please clarify wiith your counterparts and the higher officials otherwise it may be a strong offens against your liabalitie according to Service Law Act of Pakistan.
Fahim uddin
It is highly objectionable that Dr. Najma Najam is appointed as Vice Chancellor of Kiu after having a onfirm corruption charges.
Regarding her intellect it is quite clear that was an average teacher in punjab university but she managed to appoint her self as vice chancellor at fatima Jinnah university by favourtism inspite of the fact she was never selected by any selection board.Her total research work is based on students researches which they had conducted for the fulfillment of their course work requirements.More than 700 million rupees audit paras in FJUWU are still due to be in process by the audit department/public accounts commitee .She always play politics by inducting its own cronies. HEC was aware about this web site. May Allah save KIU from Dr. N. Najam
Kisi nay puchna hai tu DR. Hamid Sheikh sy maloom krain jo is k teacer thi.
SALAM:
as the student of karakurum international university since 2006 i have experienced one regular and one care taker VC. the sons and the daughters of the Gilgit Baltistan are greatful to efforts of dear VC Aziz Ali Najam……………… now he is far from naked eyes but…………….. we have got new najam and a good hope is bind with this name………… i came to know honourable VC is a well experienced researcher and teacher….. we all are hopefully looking for the betterment of university and for the nation of north from newly appointed VC.
WELL COME VC
PIYAR ALI SAGI KHUDA ABADI
FORMER GENERAL SECRETARY HUNZA STUDENT FEDERATION
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF BNSO
JOINT SECRETARY KARAKURUM POLURALISTIC AND LITERALLY SOCIETY(KIU)
It is quite clear that dr. Najma is clearly involved in forgeries and all the proofs had been already proved.why not she clear herself in court of law? i can bet she cant challange this web site.Her old husband is a clear example of that.DR Sohail H. Naqvi (H.E.C)managed her appointment. she was never rated as good reseacher which she claimed.God save Kiu from present VC.