PESHAWAR: An inquiry committee probing the alleged violation of rules and lack of transparency in conducting the examination process of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf poster boy parliamentarian, Murad Saeed, has recommended the cancellation of make-up papers, it has been reliably learnt.

The three-member committee led by Gulzar Ali Khan, Dean Faculty of Numerical and Physical Sciences, Dr Zafar Iqbal, Professor Emeritus, Pharmacy and Aktar Amin, Assistant Registrar (Establishment), held the entire procedure carried out for the post-haste examination of MNA Murad Saeed in violation of the laid down rules, lacking transparency and recommended cancellation of the make-up papers, knowledgeable sources said.

The vice-chancellor of University of Peshawar approved the findings of the committee and the case would now enter the second phase that would include a procedure committee to fix responsibility on those involved in the process and recommend punitive action, the sources said.

The MNA from Swat has been incommunicado since the scandalous nature of his attempt to appear in the make-up papers came to the limelight, though he has been actively defending his position on his twitter handle and face book account.

He has also failed to turn up before the committee to clear his position, these sources said.

Dawn’s attempt to reach him for comments did not succeed. Calls on his cellular phone were not answered nor did he reply to a text message seeking his comment.

Sources say responsibility will be fixed in second phase of the case

The spokesman for University of Peshawar and a member of the inquiry committee, Akhtar Amin, however, denied the committee had concluded its inquiry and submitted its report to Vice-chancellor Dr M Rasul Jan.

These sources said that Rasul Jan had come under enormous pressure from PTI bigwigs and a certain minister in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ‘go easy’ and drop the inquiry. The vice-chancellor, however, had stood his ground, the sources said.

“It would be difficult for him to drop the inquiry. There is so much of incriminating evidence as well as video footage of the entire episode of the way the make-up papers were conducted,” the sources said.

“Even if the two papers that Mr Murad Saeed submitted were to be ever made public that would in itself prove the credibility and transparency of the entire process,” the sources said.

“Can you imagine, the MNA, who had remained a student of BS Environmental Sciences was asked such ridiculous questions as to name five rivers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This is laughable,” said one source with knowledge of the issue.

Dr Rasul Jan ordered an inquiry after it emerged that arrangements were made post haste for Mr Murad Saeed to make up for his two papers -- Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Remote Sensing -- under dubious circumstances. The papers were marked and checked the same day in sheer violation of the procedure.

The chairperson of the Department of Environmental Sciences, Shahida Zakir, has already submitted her resignation from the office to, in her words, enable the inquiry committee conduct its probe in a transparent manner.

Her resignation has not been accepted, these sources said. The fate of those involved would be decided after the inquiry of the procedural committee, the sources said. “Clearly, there has been collusion at different levels,” the sources said.

The report of the procedural committee, as and when completed, would be submitted to the syndicate for final approval.

The parliamentarian allegedly finished and furnished the two papers within in an hour. His third paper, which had gone missing, mysteriously surfaced in which he is believed to have obtained 60 per cent marks.

Technically, officials associated with the process say, Mr Murad Saeed should have moved an application to seek approval for permission to make-up for the deficient credit hours.

Only upon the approval of the competent authority, could he have been allowed to make up for the deficient credit hours and that too after duly going through the process of proper examination schedule etc, the officials said.

Mr Murad’s Detailed Marks Certificate is also a subject of controversy.

Officials say that after initial investigations it emerged that the DMC, the parliamentarian purports to possess, had been signed by an attending office assistant or clerk and not by the competent authority, in this case, the controller of examination.

It also emerged that the certificate of clearance issued to the young lawmaker by the former chairperson of the Department of Environmental Sciences was without any substance since he had

not appeared in the two papers due to his domestic circumstances in 2009.

Published in Dawn March 11th , 2015

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