‘Fake’ experience certificates: Cases against VC Gomal University, Malakand varsity professor in limbo

PESHAWAR: The issue of securing promotions and appointments on the basis of ‘fake’ experience certificate by the current vice-chancellor of Gomal University and a professor of the University of Malakand is still in limbo as the latter’s vice-chancellor is yet to take up the case with the chancellor.

First reported on the Citizens’ Portal through two separate complaints, the issue went viral on social media, forcing the management of the University of Malakand to order a probe. The university administration formed a four-member committee under the vice-chancellor of University of Peshawar, Dr Mohammad Idrees to look into the matter and fix responsibility.

Dr Idrees, however, regretted to conduct the inquiry owing to his personal engagements. The responsibility was then entrusted to the former vice-chancellor of Agriculture University Peshawar, Dr Khan Bahadur Marwat.

The University of Malakand syndicate at a meeting held on December 19 discussed the matter in detail. “The meeting authorised vice-chancellor of the University Dr Gul Zaman to take up the issue with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman, who is chancellor of public sector universities. The vice-chancellor will soon discuss the matter with the governor,” spokesman for the University of Malakand, Miraj Khan, told The News.

The university syndicate, as per the minutes of the meeting available with The News, was informed about the issue. “In pursuance of the complaint no. 221020-8749227 dated 23-10-2020 regarding appointment of Dr Iftikhar Ahmad as professor Department of Physics and various complaints regarding promotion of Dr Rahmat Ali Khan as professor Department of Mathematics, the vice-chancellor constituted a committee to probe the matter in a transparent and justified manner for a tangible outcome to ensure justice and to submit its report/recommendations for consideration/further appropriate orders of competent authority.”

According to the complaints, both Dr Iftikhar Ahmad and Dr Rahmat Ali Khan got appointed and promoted as professors at the University of Malakand on the basis of some ‘fake experience certificates’.

Dr Ifitkhar Ahmad obtained an experience certificate from the University of Peshawar for his reported service in Islamia College, which was a constituent organisation of the University of Peshawar. The university registrar, however, maintained that no such experience certificate was issued to him. Almost similar is the case of Dr Rahmat Ali Khan.

Dr Iftikhar Ahmad also submitted some experience certificates from Punjab University and a university in Malaysia. The complainant believed that he did those jobs in violation of the surety bonds he had submitted at the Islamia College for pursuing PhD.

He was appointed at the Hazara University in 2007 as associate professor on the basis of those documents and then professor at the University of Malakand in 2011. Later, he served as vice-chancellor of the Abbottabad University of Science and Technology and currently is working as vice-chancellor of the Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan. Dr Rahmat Ali is serving as dean faculty of sciences at Malakand University.

Certain senior academicians have urged the chancellor to take immediate notice of the issue as it was very serious in nature. An academician told The News that the chancellor was swift enough to take notice of the alleged malpractices at the Islamia College and removed its pro-vice-chancellor from service at a time when his retirement was due just a few months away.