PESHAWAR: Federation of All Pakistan Universities AcademicStaffAssociations (FAPUASA) central president Prof Hamayun Khan has urged the government to fill vacant posts of vicechancellors in the province within a week.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wdnesday, he denounced the lynching of Mashal Khan, a student of AbdulWaliKhanUniversity Mardan, over alleged blasphemy and described it a barbaric act.

He said that killing of Mashai Khan by a mob was a challenge for the supremacy of law that defamed the country and their religion.

He said that killers of Mashal Khan should be tried in military court to award them exemplary punishment.

Flanked by FAPUASA provincial president Dr Abdul Shakoor, general secretary Badshah, former provincial president Dr Jamil Chitrali, Dr Zubair and others, Prof Hamayun condemned the extra-judicial killing of Mashal Khan. He said that allpeopleinvolved in that gruesome incident should be brought to justice.

He said the lynching inci-dent occurred owing to absence of permanent vicechancellor at the university.

He urged government to fill all the vacant posts of vicechancellors within a weel( to overcome the crisis.

Dr Shakoor said on the occasion that out of 19 public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 13 were without full-time vicechancellors.

He alleged that some opportunists were creating hurdles in recruitment of full-time vice-chancellors at public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that government should complete the process at the earliest.

Appreciating the provincial government`s decision regarding appointment of vice-chancellors at public sector universities on permanent basis, he said that the process should be completed within a week to remove uncertainty.

Dr Shakoor said that they would decide future course of action in consultation with teachers associations, if provincial government and governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not fulfil their demands within seven days.Bureau Report