RAHIM YAR KHAN: An additional registrar of the Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology (KFUEIT), who joined the institution as a naib tehsil, has allegedly violated merit in appointments and in his own promotion.

A Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) probe was also presented to the KFUEIT syndicate meeting on July 16. The HED notified a probe committee consequent upon a reference from the National Accountability Bureau against former KFUEIT vice-chancellor Athar Mehboob and others.

According to HED sources, other employees allegedly involved in these irregularities were treasurer Abdul Samad, additional registrar Bilal Irshaad, project director Dr Zaheer Ahmed, project manager Ahmed, Chaudhry Irfan Ahmed and two contractors.

Additional registrar, others found involved

The HED report stated eight charges against Additional Registrar Bilal Irshaad, including denial of the orders of the authority to attend NAB meetings and also violating the direction to pursuing the services statutes, willful absence from the duty on December 4 and 6, 2019, concealment of facts and issuance of job offer letters with previous dates, without advertisement and without selection board in case of BPS-17 and above, and his appointment as staff officer to the VC, deputy registrar/additional registrar.

The report recommended action against him under section 5 of Peeda Act of 2006. Furthermore, he allegedly traveled abroad on the government expenses to sign an MOU with the University of Technology Malaysia in 2018 but he actually got admission to an institute during the trip.The nominated people made foreign tours without following austerity measures by the government.

Similarly, a luxury 4X4 vehicle worth Rs6 million was purchased for the VC against the entitlement and not following the approval of the austerity committee.

KFUEIT focal person Anwar Farooq confirmed the HED findings and said the luxury the vehicle was still with the KFUEIT.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2020