ISLAMABAD, April 7: Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) has suspended its two senior officials for their involvement in the PhD scam, sources told Dawn.

The syndicate, in its meeting on April 5, confirmed that Syed Mujawar Hussain Shah, the ex-controller examination, and Dr Maqbool, the ex-chairman of Biology Department, helped a PhD student, Dr Shahbaz Ahmed Kureshi, in submitting dubious letters of foreign referees.

The inquiry committee presented its report to the syndicate after which the decision was taken. The sources said the vice- chancellor had constituted another committee to further probe the case.

According to the sources, during the inquiry when the copy of the thesis was required by the committee members, the officials concerned failed to provide it, which was supposed to be with the university for reference.

It may be mentioned that Dr Maqbool, who had recently been declared successful in the syndicate election, after proving guilty, would automatically lose his seat in the body.

However, his opponent Dr Aslam Baig, the chairman of Physics Department who had been declared second, would replace him.