PHC declines relief to former Gomal University VC, seeks KP govt reply

Dera Ismail Khan: The Dera Ismail Khan Circuit Bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday declined to suspend the compulsory leave order issued against former Gomal University Vice Chancellor Dr. Zafar Iqbal and issued notices to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, seeking its response.

Justice Sadiq Ali heard the preliminary proceedings of Dr. Zafar Iqbal’s writ petition. The petitioner requested the court to suspend the June 23 notification issued by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under which he was sent on 90 days’ compulsory leave pending an inquiry.

The court refused to grant interim relief by suspending the notification at this stage. However, it issued notices to the respondents and directed the provincial government to submit its reply at the next hearing.

Dr. Zafar Iqbal was placed on compulsory leave by the provincial government following allegations of financial irregularities, nepotism, and controversial appointments and promotions at Gomal University. A three-member inquiry committee, headed by Dera Ismail Khan Commissioner Daud Khan, was subsequently constituted to investigate the allegations and has formally begun its proceedings.

According to sources, the inquiry committee visited Gomal University on Tuesday, examined relevant official records, recorded statements from university officials, and heard Dr. Zafar Iqbal’s version of events as part of the ongoing investigation.

It has been learnt that record of recruitments and the selection board has been collected but it was incomplete. Similarly, different officials of the university squarely steered clear of the legally questionable decisions taken by Zafar Iqbal during his one year as the VC at Gomal University.

Gomal University has nosedived in the past one year starting from April 5, 2025 when Zafar Iqbal took over as the vice chancellor till April 5, 2025 when after multiple inquiries the Anti-Corruption Establishment launched a mega inquiry to investigate reports of sale and purchase of jobs and degrees, supply of drugs on campus, use of fire arms and much more.

Sources say that members of the legally questionable selection board will also be included in the inquiry. They said during the hearing by the inquiry team, Zafar Iqbal did his best to politicize the corruption reports and he had managed to turn one of the three members of the inquiry team into his favor. They said that it is hoped that the inquiry will meet its logical end and responsibility will be fixed.