LAHORE: The process for the posting of pro-vice chancellor of the King Edward Medical University (KEMU) has hit a controversy after the health authorities made a move to include the name of a teacher facing the major punishment of removal from service and the inquiries under the PEEDA Act over charges of misconduct and forgery.
The health department stopped the process of appointment against the second top slot of the largest public sector medical university (KEMU) of Punjab and sought details/particulars of Prof Nakhshab Chaudhry, the teacher in question, from university’s Vice Chancellor Prof Khalid Masood Gondal to consider him for the same position.
The KEMU had recommended six senior medics to the health department after short-listing them from its faculty, following the procedure, an official told Dawn.
The medics were former acting VC of KEMU Prof Dr Asad Aslam Khan, Registrar Prof Irshad Hussain Qureshi, Professor of Gyne Dr Arshad Chohan, Professor of Psychiatry Dr Aftab Asif, Professor of Dermatology Dr Ijaz Ahsan and Professor of Gynae Dr Ayesha Malik.
Of them, he said, the KEMU VC had put up separate conflicting notes on the four senior medics proposed for the Pro-VC slot, preferring the remaining two candidates, including Prof Ijaz and Prof Ayesha, to appoint one of them against the vacancy. Mr Gondal wrote that Prof Asad, Prof Irshad and Prof Chohan could not be considered for the slot for having less than three years remaining government service, the official said. Similarly, he added, the VC had apprised the health department that Prof Aftab Asif was facing a criminal case lodged against him in Islamabad, preferring the rest two medics.
The medical experts showed their utter displeasure on the comments of the KEMU VC against the first three senior medical teachers regarding their short remaining service, declaring the comments misleading and against the facts, the official said. They were of the views that some senior medics in the past had been appointed as Pro-VC despite having less than three years remaining service.
Just as the process of the appointment of the Pro-VC was in progress, the surprise entry of Prof Nakhshab further created doubts about its transparency. Prof Nakhshab has been held guilty of misconduct and forgery by two committees constituted by the health department.
The documents pertaining to the inquiry reports (a copy is available with Dawn), say that Prof Nakhshab had got promotion from assistant professor (BPS-18) to the rank of professor (BPS-21) through forged documents.
The matter surfaced for the first time in the 29th meeting of the KEMU Syndicate held on Aug 6, 2015 when the house was informed that controversy had erupted over the veracity of the requisite experience of Dr Nakhshab mentioned in the minutes of the earlier meeting held on June 16.
“After discussion, it was decided that the approval of the agenda item in 28the Syndicate meeting may stand ‘not approved,’ pending for the clarification of the issue by the appropriate authorities,” says the document.
A fact-finding committee constituted by the health department comprising the then principal of Allama Iqbal Medical College, the additional secretary health (admin) and a principal medical officer had conducted a probe into the case of Dr Nakhshab in 2015. After examining all the relevant record, the committee held him guilty of the charges in its report the same year.
It recommended the major penalty – proceeding under PEEDA Act, 2006, –on account of misconduct and forgery, say the documents.
Later on, the health department Punjab constituted another committee to further verify the same case. Headed by the then medical superintendent of Lady Willingdon Hospital Lahore, the committee also endorsed the findings of the previous inquiry report and recommended major punishment of removal from service of Dr Nakhshab as per section 4(1)(b)(v) of PEEDA Act 2006 for false claim of experience.
“The reported continued drawing of BPS-21 pay, if proved to be correct may be dealt with as per rules as a case of fraud/corruption against Dr Naskhshab Chaudhry as well as those held responsible in the administration of the KEMU entailing major penalty of dismissal from services in addition to the penalty of recovery,” recommended the second inquiry report.
The inquiry officer further recommended Dr Murtaza Haider, ex-AMS Services Hospital and acting registrar of KEMU (2015), may be proceeded against under PEEDA Act, 2006 for unauthorised use/misuse of authority while issuing an untruthful experience certificate in favour of Dr Nakhshab.
The health department’s fresh move to include the name of Prof Nakhshab for Pro-VC slot has irked the senior teaching faculty of the KEMU, terming it an attempt to violate merit.
KEMU VC Prof Khalid Masood Gondal confirmed that the university had received a request of the health department about Prof Nakhshab Chaudhry. However, he refused to comment on the issue declaring it a sensitive one.
Published in Dawn, October 27th , 2018
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