Fake degree case at Bacha Khan University

FIA official says efforts on to arrest absconding assistant professor

PESHAWAR: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is making efforts to secure arrest of an assistant professor of the Bacha Khan University, Charsadda who is accused of getting the job on a fake PhD degree.

The First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Dr Fawad Jan on the basis of an inquiry in which he was found guilty of having a fake doctorate degree, FIA Crime Circle’s Station Head Officer Gul Rahman told The News. He said the accused would be arrested soon.

The FIA official explained that the accused official had secured job in the university on the basis of a PhD degree from the “non-existent” Paramount University California, USA, through the controversial firm, Axact company. He added that they formally probed the matter and the case was registered against him after getting concrete proof.

There were reports that the vice-chancellor of the university Dr Fazle Rahim Marwat and acting registrar Hamidullah were also directly charged in the FIR for appointing Fawad Jan despite having a fake degree. However, Gul Rahman of the FIA made it clear that they have not been directly charged in the case, but would be made part of the investigation.

Reached by telephone, Prof Dr Fazle Rahim Marwat told this reporter that they had not been officially informed by the FIA or any other institution about the case. “Once they make an official contact with the university, they would be informed of the actual situation,” he said.

He informed that Fawad Jan was not a regular employee of the university. He had been hired at the department of computer science on contractual basis some seven months back and his contract expired last month. Since his contract has not been renewed, he is no more an employee of the university, he added.

However, Fawad Jan’s name and photograph along with his email address is still present on the official website of the university as an assistant professor.

Dr Fazle Rahim Marwat argued that they faced shortage of faculty in some departments and it normally took a long time to hire permanent employees. “In the semester system we always remain in a hurry to arrange the faculty members as we cannot wait for hiring someone on permanent basis,” he said.

He added that Fawad Jan visited his office several months ago and he referred him to the chairman of the department concerned on whose recommendation he was offered a six-month contract.

The vice-chancellor said it was not possible for them to verify all the credentials in such a short span of time. However, in case of regular appointment a formal procedure is adopted and all the credentials of the candidates are formally verified, he remarked.

The issue hit headlines a few days ago when the FIA made the claim to have unearthed a fake degree case. Fawad Jan went into hiding after the issue was highlighted in the media.