KARACHI, May 8: Apropos a news item captioned `Sakrand yet varsity has 30 teachers for 60 students` dated May 2, 2013, the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Sakrand has clarified that the vice chancellor as per the university act had appointed 64 employees that included 13 teachers, and not 30 as reported in the story, on an ad hoc/contract basis for six months.

`Of the 13 teachers, 10 are lecturers (BS-17 on an ad hocbasis) and three senior professors (on a contract). As for senior PhD faculty/principal officers, approval was taken from the chancellor for appointment,` a press release from the university says.

The withdrawal of the vice chancellor`s financial powers by previous livestock and fisheries secretary, according to the university, `was not legal` and the `use of vice chancellor`s powers` by project director was also a violation of the university act as the vice chancellor is the principal executive and academic officer ofthe university.

University officials, it says, repeatedly reminded the governor, chief minister, chief secretary, finance secretary, livestock and fisheries secretary and accountant general to get DDO powers restored but no action was taken.

`The university reserves the right to recommend the government and the chancellor to take disciplinary action against the project director who provided baseless information to the media and has given a bad name to the university,` it states.