And Dr. Shahid Hussain Bokhari Quits…

I know, to most of you, the title doesn’t make any sense. How can it make? You don’t know Shahid Bokhari, you don’t know what he does and what is its importance? So, let me start from the beginning: introduction to Dr. Shahid Bokhari.

In simple words, he is my spiritual father, my teacher, my ideal, a hero and the person who made a very significant impact on my life. It is not me only who is saying that but also all of his students spread all over the world have similar sentiments for him as we have seen his dedication, hardwork and sincerity towards the students of Electrical Engineering (EE) Department at University of Engineering and Technology Lahore. UET Lahore is the oldest Engineering University in Pakistan. Entrance to UET is very competitive and every year students from all parts of the country compete for getting a place in this university. And EE Department at UET is the most difficult department to get into this university. One can realize this fact by looking at the profiles of the students getting admissions here. Almost all the position holders from Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education join this department and then spend four important years of their lives getting quality education and learning the things necessary for their professional careers.

I hope from the above paragraph, you might have got the idea about Dr Shahid Bokhari and his importance. If still you have any confusion left, I once again repeat, he is the most respected professor at the most competitive Electrical Engineering department in the country. His profile says much more than that, interested ones might look at his profile [1]. For uninterested ones, I must say that he is the only Pakistani ISI [2] highly cited researcher in twenty one fields of research managed by ISI. It is important to remember that ISIHighlyCited reveals the face of research--the people behind the accomplishments in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences. These individuals are the most highly cited within each category for the period 1981-1999, and comprise less than one-half of one percent of all publishing researchers--truly an extraordinary accomplishment. He is the only Pakistani resident Fellow of the IEEE [3], the only Pakistani who is a Fellow of the ACM [4]. For people not belonging to computer sciences or electrical engineering, I must mention that IEEE and ACM are the most important organization of EE and CS professionals in the world.

The bad news: After serving for 25 years in Pakistan, he has finally decided to quit and continue his research with a US university. Reasons behind his resignation are simple and straightforward. He is not happy with HEC policies. He is not the first person to protest against HEC policies but he is perhaps the most important person so far who has resigned from his job because of bad HEC policies.

Does it ring some emergency alarm for HEC Policy makers? I guess no. Dr Bokhari returned from US in 1980 at a very young age with a spirit to serve his country. With this profile, he could have achieved any material thing he wanted but he opted to return back to live on peanuts and dedicate his life to his country (Don’t consider my words some standard stuff coming out of a politician’s pen. He really lived on peanuts and he really dedicated the best part of his life to EE Department at UET Lahore while he was in a situation that he could do much more while living in US.). But, HEC policy makers are great people, sitting in big offices, thinking of big revolutions, talking of big achievements and deciding the future of “small creatures” called university professors. They have no time to address the concerns of professors like him. To them, money handed over to retired military generals serving as vice chancellors can bring a revolution while lifetime efforts by dedicated people are not important at all. What a surface level approach? It is disgusting.
A letter sent to HEC by Dr Shahid Bokhari in given below. In this letter, he explains the reasons for his resignation. I am publishing it without permission from Dr Bokhari as he didn’t want me to politicize the matter and he wanted to continue his research with a peaceful mind. I think it is important to let the people know. Although it will not change anything as it didn’t change during last 58 years but at least I am trying to convey my message. Dr Bokhari might not return back, but at least it will let HEC officials know that why researchers are disappointed and why they are leaving.


Dr Shahid Bokhari's Letter to HEC:
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Dear Sirs,

The HEC has attempted to contact me on several occasions over the past few days regarding my resignation from UET Lahore. I would have thought that the circumstances leading up to my resignation would be clear from the communications already sent by me to the HEC or presented to the Senate of the UET (where a representative of the HEC was in attendance). However, in the interest of saving everyone time, effort and aggravation, I will briefly review these here.

1. I am completely opposed to the so-called tenure track system (which is in reality a contract based system), as described in the attached communications to the HEC as well as in an address to the Senate. After two years of delays, the UET has now chosen to make appointments under this system. I find this unacceptable.

2. As a full professor with 25 years of service in the university, I expect my ideas and opinions be received with the respect due to them. The Syndicate of the UET has been unable to accord this respect. In response to a letter in which I declined the amounts paid under the "Better Incentives for University Faculty" scheme of the HEC and in which I opined that these amounts were "miserly and degrading," the Syndicate issued me a letter officially calling me "arrogant". This is unacceptable.

3. I have long opposed the "Oman chair" scheme of the Ministry of Science & Technology (letter attached). Under this quasi-racist scheme, a professor, preferably from overseas, shall be hired at $6000 per month (in contrast with a Professor's Grade 20 income of about $800 per month). After many years of delays, this scheme has been instituted and advertisements issued in foreign journals. This is unacceptable.

4. The UET has embarked on a misguided scheme of expansion with several sub-campuses being opened at various locations. There are not enough qualified engineering teachers in the country to staff these campuses. As a result, teachers from UET Lahore are being deputed to these sub-campuses. This has caused a severe drop in the quality of teaching at the Lahore campus. This, in turn, will lead to a serious decline in the competencies of our graduates.

5. Within the UET itself, the size of classes keeps on increasing, with 300 students input to the Electrical Engineering program this year (resulting in 5 sections). There are not enough teachers or equipment to cater to these students.

6. While I have had to beg donations to set up and maintain the first year computer lab in my Department, the university has not bothered to grant me funds to refurbish this lab (until after my resignation). As a result, incoming students are working on 13 year old machines. In contrast an entire department of Computer Science & Engineering, distinct from my department, has been set up with lavish laboratories and facilities.

7. The UET and, in particular, the Department of Electrical Engineering is widely respected within Pakistan and abroad. We were able to achieve this status because the UET (and formerly the Maclagan College) were exclusively engineering institutions where the rigors of engineering education could be exercised in isolation from the overall poor level of our Nation's general universities. With the initiation of pure science and mathematics programs in the UET the level of teaching and research has started going down precipitously. Conditions in the UET have now deteriorated beyond the point of recovery and there appears little hope of improvement.

It should be obvious that my decision to resign was taken after due deliberation and soul-searching. It is not easy to leave an institution where one has devoted 25 years of one's life and earned the respect and affection of thousands of intelligent and hardworking students, from all strata of society. However I have made this difficult decision and it is final.

I am an active researcher who is the only Pakistani resident Fellow of the IEEE, the only Pakistani who is a Fellow of the ACM and the only Pakistani on the ISI Highly Cited list. I have worked hard to earn these honors over the past 30 years. My resignation is not a ploy to obtain a better or higher appointment as I have no interest in administrative posts. I have always maintained that ALL engineering faculty in the UET need substantial increases in their salary. Unfortunately, the HEC does not agree.

Having explained my reasons for resignation, I will appreciate if no more attempts are made by the HEC to contact me. The HEC and I hold irreconcilable views on most issues--nothing will be gained from futile arguments about these.

My purpose in whatever years remain in my life is to concentrate on my research work--without the constant aggravations sent my way by the misguided education policy makers of our country.

Should the above screed also be considered arrogant, allow me to paraphrase Frank Lloyd Wright
"Honest arrogance is better than false humility."


Sincerely,
Shahid H. Bokhari
Professor
Department of Electrical Engineering
UET Lahore
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References :
[1] http://web.bmi.ohio-state.edu/resources/people/bokhari_cv.pd f
[2] http://www.isihighlycited.com/
[3] www.ieee.org
[4] www.acm.org