RAWALPINDI, May 9: Two district education officials have been punished for leaking question papers of middle standard examinations in 1997.

The district education officer, Mian Abdul Khaliq, has been demoted and the former assistant director, Rana Mohammad Aslam, removed from service.

Action was taken against them after an inquiry conducted by a committee formed on the instructions of the Punjab government.

The inquiry committee found them guilty of misconduct and recommended to the authorities to take action against them.

The committee had initiated inquiry against four officials of the education department — Mian Abdul Khaliq, Rana Mohammad Aslam, Ghulam Sarwar Salim and Rana Nazir Ahmad, and exonerated the last two mentioned for lack of evidence.

Sources said both the accused were provided an opportunity to explain their point of view.

The governor later appointed a hearing officer to give yet another chance to them to defend themselves. The hearing officer also upheld the recommendations of the inquiry committee.

“The Punjab governor, in view of the findings of the inquiry officer, recommendations of the authorized officer, report of the investigating officer and other relevant documents, is convinced that very serious charges have been proved against Mian Abdul Khaliq and Rana Mohammad Aslam, and therefore in exercise of the powers vested in him under Rule 8 of E&D Rules 1975 imposed major penalties against them,” the report said.

Mian Abdul Khaliq, DEO Rawalpindi, has been awarded major penalty of reduction in rank under Rule 4(1)(b)(i) of the Punjab Civil Servants Efficiency and Discipline Rules, 1975. The other accused, Rana Mohammad Aslam, has been awarded major penalty of removal from service under rule 4(1)(b)(iii) of E&D Rules 1975.

The provincial government has transferred Mian Abdul Khaliq to Rawalpindi district government with the instructions that he should be transferred from his present assignment of district education officer.

The orders further stated that the official should be adjusted against some non-administrative post.