Remand of ex-VC, registrar extended

LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday extended judicial remand of Sargodha University former Vice-Chancellor Dr Muhammad Akram Chaudhry and the university’s former registrar Brigadier Rtd Rao Jamil Asghar , accused of receiving millions of rupees as bribe for allowing establishment of illegal sub-campuses under the public private partnership policy and jeopardizing the future of thousands of students.

The court has also extended judicial remand of other accused in the scam including, Muhammad Akram, Mandi Bahauddin sub-campus CEO Waris Nadeem and his partner Naeem Mukhtar.

The sixth accused in the scam was the CEO of Lahore sub-campus Mian Javed who had died after suffering a heart attack during judicial custody. According to the NAB, the accused received millions as bribe for allowing third parties to establish illegal sub-campuses.

Earlier, an audit report of Higher Education Commission had revealed that five sub-campuses were established in total violation of Public-Private Partnership Policy while Lahore and Mandi Bahauddin campus was established by then VC Dr Akram, using emergency powers vested in him U/S 13(3) of the University of Sargodha Ordinance, 2002, allegedly in total violation of Public Private Partnership Policy and even without obtaining the necessary approval from the syndicate and relevant bodies.