ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: Apropos a news item published in Dawn with the headline: “IIUI hires teachers before Completion of PhD”, it is clarified that Under Interim Placement of Fresh PhDs Programme (IPFP) the scholars are placed on provision of PhD degree or successful thesis defence notification.

In certain cases the foreign scholars return to Pakistan early after defending their PhD thesis (due to delay in award of PhD degree) and then go back to receive their PhD degree after three to six months (or receive the degree by mail).

In order to start their career without any delay they are placed in their host universities upon provision of their successful thesis defence notification.

Similar is the case of Indigenous PhD scholars completing PhD from some local universities where the issuance of PhD degree is delayed due to administrative issues, but the thesis defence notification is received timely.

Dr Mohammad Arshad was also issued the Offer letter to join International Islamic University Islamabad after due consent received from the university & provision of notification from supervisor.

Later Dr Mohammad Arshad had also submitted copies of his PhD degree to this office. Dr Mohammad Arshad is also an Overseas Phase II scholar and it was confirmed from the scholarship section HEC that his PhD degree, awarded in June 2011, has been received.