PHC summons NAB chief, IGP in ETEA exam paper leak case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday summoned National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa director general and Inspector General of Police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on September 13 as the court is going to hold an inquiry into the alleged paper leak in the entrance test for medical and dental colleges.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Qalandar Ali Khan summoned the NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa DG and provincial police chief before passing an order for the inquiry into the paper leak in the entrance test for medical colleges conducted by the Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA).

During the hearing, Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan questioned ETEA Executive Director Prof Israr Ahmad as to why the paper was leaked before the entrance test.

However, he replied that the two accused, the driver and an employee, who leaked the paper had been arrested.

Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan asked the ETEA executive director whether the government and ETEA would lay hand on big fish involved in the paper leaks or only arrest such persons.

“Whether safety arrangements against illegal acts and paper leaks have been completed for the coming entrance test for the medical colleges to be held on September 23 or not,” he asked the official.

The judge observed that the court was going to pass an order for inquiry over the papers leaks and other matters of the ETEA.

The court on the previous hearing had ordered the ETEA chief and director of Academics and Admissions, Khyber Medical University, to appear and explain their positions.

The bench had taken the notice of the paper leak during a hearing of a writ petition filed by girl student Noorul Anne Qureshi before the test as she was seeking rescheduling of the test because she and many other students were going for performing Haj.

The lawyer Muhammad Isa Khan had pointed out before the bench that the test was rescheduled thrice due to mismanagement and paper leak. On the other hand, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on August 24 cancelled the results of the entrance test arranged by the ETEA on August 19 after an inquiry conducted by the Intelligence Bureau into the paper leak.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had cancelled the entrance test results after receiving the report from the IB.

The IB conducted the preliminary investigation and reportedly identified some loopholes in the system. It recommended the government to form another inquiry committee and investigate the scam in depth to reach the culprits involved in the paper leak. Also, the Home and Tribal Affairs Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had notified a JIT comprising Special Branch of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, IB and Federal Investigation Agency.