THIS is apropos the letter ‘PhD thesis evaluation’ (June 5). Based on my own experience, I agree with the writer that foreign professors are reluctant to evaluate PhD theses because of non-payment of evaluation fee.

I can cite an example of dealing with the University of Peshawar. I evaluated a PhD thesis of College of Home Economics in 2015, which was sent to my address at Boston University, US.

An honorarium of $300 or equivalent was promised to be paid (Peshawar University letter No. 1079-80/PHD/ Adms) but has not been paid in the last three years.

In dealing with the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, I had another frustrating experience. I was asked as an expert in the field of archaeology to review draft curricula of archaeology prepared by the National Curriculum Revision Committee for graduate level in Pakistan on April 13, 2011. I was promised a modest amount as remuneration for review.

I had to wait for six and half years to get the payment on Oct 27, 2017.

M. Rafique Mughal
Prof Emeritus, Boston University, USA

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2018