Aitchison College principal quits

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Aitchison College Principal Michael A Thomson Monday tendered his resignation after Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman ordered to waive the fees of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Ahad Cheema’s sons.

According to media reports, the resignation came after Cheema’s wife had requested the Punjab governor to waive off the fees of her sons. Following her request, the governor issued an order after which their fees was waived off for three years. In a letter issued to the college staff, Thomson said that he will be stepping down from the principal’s post on April 1 and will not be playing any role in the management and admissions process.

“I did not intend to leave Aitchison College but now I have no other choice. Throughout my time as principal, I have done my very best to protect the school’s reputation while extending compassion to those in need,” said Thomson in the letter. “However, there is a crucial difference between this pursuit and blatant policy manufacturing to accommodate certain individuals because such people simply insist on preferential treatment,” the letter said.

The letter mentioned that the college’s policy was undermined to “favour some people”, adding that there is no room for “politics and nepotism” in the college. The principal added that over the past year, “prejudiced actions by the Governor House have contributed to a breakdown of governance and management”.

“It seems incredulous to me, and quite possibly to most other people, that a school so successful can be subjected to such unwarranted interference and brazen directives. A well-intentioned foreigner does not venture to another country with less than pure intent, and nor should that person act in any way to encourage or facilitate what he considers to be wrong,” he wrote.