ACE recommends action against PU VC, others

 LAHORE: An inquiry committee of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has recommended registration of criminal cases against acting vice-chancellor of the Punjab University, Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, and the then controller examination Prof Dr Liaqat Ali for illegally validating the BA degree of Abdul Qadir Gilani, the son of former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani.

The inquiry committee, comprising Ubaidullah [Deputy Director (Admin)] and Sohail Zafar [Deputy Director (Legal)], also recommended registration of case against Qadir Gilani as he was found guilty of forgery, fraud and impersonation while obtaining hisBA degree, subject to the vetting by a law officer.

“Mr Mujahid Kamran, Vice Chancellor, Punjab University Lahore, Prof Dr Liaqat Ali, Ex-Controller, Punjab University Lahore/Dean Faculty of Commerce, Member Special Disciplinary Committee/Author of agenda items for 1706th meeting of Syndicate, Ex-Controller/Now Registrar Punjab University have been found guilty of extending unlawful favour to the accused for getting his degree validated, by misusing their authority. A case under relevant sections may be registered against them,” the two-member committee observed in its 23-page final report.

The report further observed that misuse of authority, concealing facts and helping in fraud had been proved against Muhammad Saeed-ul-Haq – associate professor, Govt MAO College Lahore, (the then senior superintendent Examination Centre No 112, BA Annual Examination 2005), and Shoukat Ali – a lecturer at Govt Degree College, Peoples Colony, Gujranwala (the then additional centre superintendent Examination Centre No 112, BA Annual Examination 2005) – and a case under relevant sections might be registered against them.

According to the inquiry report, negligence and inefficiency on the part of members of Independent Discipline Committee (IDC) have been proved and they may be proceeded against under relevant departmental rules.

The IDC members included Prof Dr Hafiz Mehmood Akhtar (the then dean Islamic Studies), Prof Dr Rafiq Ahmed (the then principal College of Engineering and Technology), Prof Dr Naveed Rahat (the then principal College of Arts and Design), Prof Dr Rass Masud Khan (the then registrar and chairman Botany Department) and Prof Dr Liaqat Ali (the then dean Faculty of Science and Controller of Examination).

The findings of the inquiry report completed in December 2015 have been submitted to the additional chief secretary Punjab a week back for further perusal of chief secretary and chief minister.

The inquiry against Mujahid Kamran, the junior Gilani and other PU officials was concluded at a time when the chief minister is all set to select new VCs of different universities, including the PU from a panel of three, short-listed for each university.

Reportedly, the name of Mujahid Kamran is also on the list submitted to the chief minister for final appointment.

Only a few days back, the chief minister had appointed Mujahid Kamran as acting VC till the appointment of a new VC after his four-year term expired early this month.

Highlighting the role of PU administration under Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, the inquiry committee observed that when the junior Gilani approached Mujahid Kamran on October 30, 2010 for validation of his BA degree, he should have not entertained his application being time barred as his application was maintainable only within 30 days of the receipt of the decision of UMC (Unfair Means Case).

However, the committee observed, the applicant approached the VC against the decision of UMC after over three years. The VC, it observed, went beyond his authority by violating the relevant law when he entertained the time-barred appeal.

The committee observed that the appeal should have been entertained by the same disciplinary committee which had given its verdict against him but in the instant case, the VC, instead of referring the case to the original UMC, constituted an Independent Disciplinary Committee (IDC) which set-aside the quashment of Gilani’s result card within four working days by deciding the case in his favour.

Even the accused never appeared before the IDC to plead his case but he was given this undue favour, the committee wrote.

It said the original UMC took around 14 months to decide the case but the IDC constituted by Mujahid Kamran took only four days to set-aside the decision only to provide relief to the son of former PM.

The committee observed it was proved that Gilani had obtained his degree fraudulently but the VC got his degree validated from the Syndicate in its 1,706th meeting.

It also rejected the former VC’s claim, made when he appeared before the panel, that Gilani was conveyed the decision of UMC through ordinary post therefore he couldn’t receive the same regarding quashment of his result. The inquiry committee observed that UMC made best possible efforts by sending him four notices on different dates.

The committee found that as the then controller examination, Prof Dr Liaqat, didn’t forward the case against the senior superintendent and deputy superintendent of Examination Centre 112 to the Higher Education Department in spite a clear recommendation of the UMC, he was found guilty of criminal negligence, misconduct and misuse of authority to protect Gilani.

Highlighting the role of IDC members, the committee observed that it decided the instant matter within four days by holding one meeting only and they clearly mentioned in their statements that they gave the decision in favour of Gillani under the pressure of the then controller examination as he produced before them the decision for signatures.

The junior Gilani had appeared in the PU annual exam under Roll No 94281 in 2005 and a UMC was registered against him by a three-member Disciplinary Committee headed by Prof Dr Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal. It not only debarred Gilani from appearing in BA examination but his result card was also quashed.

After being appointed as the VC in 2008, Mujahid Kamran formed another committee called ‘super committee’ which exonerated Gilani and was awarded the degree.

Initially, the case of fake degree landed in FIA on the Supreme Court’s directives, but citing jurisdiction issues, it transferred the case to the ACE Punjab for further probe.

Reacting to the story, the PU spokesman said the administration was not aware of any such findings and recommendations of the ACE inquiry team. However, he said, if such recommendations had been made, then the administration would challenge those because of the mala fide intentions of ACE officials.

He claimed that ACE Director General Anwar Rashid wanted his son to be appointed on a teaching post in the varsity but the administration refused to do so. He said later, Rashid requested the administration to appoint his son on an administrative post which was also declined.

He said the VC had no any role in issuance of degree to Gilani, adding that the Syndicate had ordered an inquiry into the case which recommended quashing Gilani’s degree. So, the spokesman said, the inquiry report was infractuous and baseless.

He said the report, if it existed, had been prepared at the time when Mujahid Kamran’s appointment for the third term was in process to malign his repute.

The spokesman said a fake sedition case at the time of appointment in the first tenure was also filed against the VC, adding no any allegation against him had proved true so far.

Responding to the allegations, Rashid categorically rejected all the claims and said he had never approached the PU administration for the job of his son. He said his son did apply for a job in PU in 2015, but he never asked for any favour to any official.

For the sake of a transparent probe into the matter, he added, he had even left teaching at the varsity when a PU official raised objections.