KARACHI: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly on Monday directed all public universities in the province to have the educational degrees of all employees, including faculty members, verified by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to prevent recruitment based on fake academic credentials.

The directive followed a PAC meeting, chaired by Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, during which it was revealed that an employee of the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, had been dismissed from service after his degree failed verification.

The director general of Audit Sindh said that recruitments had been made at the medical university without verifying degrees through the HEC.

SMBBMU Vice Chancellor Dr Nusrat Shah informed the PAC that MBBS, BDS and other medical degrees of applicants were verified by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, which issued verification certificates prior to recruitment.

However, he added that degrees of employees and job applicants were also verified through the HEC when necessary.

Mr Khuhro said all universities must complete the degree verification process within a month and submit a report to the PAC.

He added that faculty and staff members whose degrees could not be verified should be dismissed from service. Mr Khuhro warned that recruitment based on fake degrees would not be tolerated in universities or any other institution in the province.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2025