RAWALPINDI: The names proposed for the syndicate of the Rawalpindi Medical University (RMU) include an MPA who does not even have a matriculation certificate and the former principal of a medical college who was one of the main witnesses in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.

According to documents available with Dawn, RMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Umer prepared the list of proposed names for the syndicate on the instructions of the Punjab health department.

Under the Rawalpindi Medical University Act 2017, the government has the authority to make appointments to the syndicate on the recommendations of the vice chancellor.

The VC has proposed the names of MPAs Zaibun Nisa and Lubna Rehan for the two seats for parliament members. Ms Nisa has not earned a degree and does not even have a matriculation certificate. Ms Rehan, on the other hand, does have a bachelor’s degree.

Under the law, two women members of the Punjab Assembly should be in the syndicate, preferably medical doctors, to be nominated by the speaker provincial assembly.

For the seats of two retired principals or professors, the VC has nominated Prof Dr Mussadiq Khan, who is former principal of the Rawalpindi Medical College. The Punjab government had withheld 20pc of his pension under section 13 (5) (ii) of the PEEDA Act 2006 on the basis of an inquiry committee’s report constituted by the chief minister on July 25, 2016.

Dr Khan issued a house job certificate to his son, Dr Bilal Khan, who was working in an American hospital. Dr Khan is also the main witness in the Benazir assassination case as he operated on the former prime minister at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital when she received bullet injuries on Dec 27, 2007, in an attack when she was leaving Liaquat Bagh after addressing a public meeting.

The other proposed name is that of Prof Hamamatul Bushra Khaar, who retired from the Holy Family Hospital a year ago and is the wife of VC Umer, while the name of Tariq Sadiq has been proposed for financial expert.

The names of former chairman Board of Management of the Rawalpindi Medical College Dr Mohammad Aslam, the owner of Tahzeeb Bakers Khalid Noon and former member Board of Management of the Rawalpindi Medical College were proposed for the seats of philanthropists or representatives of the civil society.

The names of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University VC Prof Dr Mohammad Niaz and VC of Shifa Tameer-i-Milat University Prof Dr Mohammad Iqbal were also proposed.

Senior doctors and professors at various universities say the government should appoint well educated people and professionals to the university syndicate.

Talking to Dawn, a senior doctor said the syndicate should be representative of the public and they must have professional degrees. He said most members of the syndicate do not meet the criteria laid down by the government.

RMU VC Prof Dr Mohammad Umer refused to comment when asked about the list of names. However, a senior RMU official said the names had been sent to the Punjab government through the health department and that the government would cut out some names and add in others. He said a final decision would soon be made in this regard.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2017