PHC issues notice in fake degree case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday issued notice to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials in a writ petition filed against registration of first information report against an assistant professor of the Bacha Khan University in a fake degree case and his arrest.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Irshad Qaiser issued notice to the FIA officials. They were directed to explain their position on the FIR against an assistant professor, Dr Fawad Jan, in a degree case and then his arrest. 

During hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer Barrister Amir Chamkani submitted that the FIA officials on an unnamed complaint had started investigation against the degree of the assistant professor. The lawyer submitted that the FIA officials started investigation of the professor’s PhD degree and finally declared his degree as fake which he had got from the California, US.

The lawyer submitted that the FIA has no jurisdiction and powers to verify the professors degrees as the mandate about verification of degrees in the province rested with the provincial government and its agencies.

The lawyer stated that the FIA assistant director Shahid Ilyas and investigation officer Asfandyar had misused powers by investigating the degree and then lodging the FIR and arresting the petitioner.

The FIA has registered the FIR against Dr Fawad Jan on the basis of an inquiry in which he was found guilty of having a fake doctorate degree. 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. The FIA officials said that they had formally probed the matter and the case was registered against him after gathering concrete proof.