ISLAMABAD: Scores of MPhil and PhD scholars of Al Khair University on Tuesday protested against Higher Education Commission (HEC) for not attesting their degrees.

After staging protest, a group of scholars headed by Dr Munawar Ali, Dr Tahir Sadiq and Dr Saba also held a press conference at the National Press Club. They said Islamabad High Court (IHC) had given a decision in their favour but the commission is still not recognising their degrees.

Due to the HEC’s refusal to attest degrees given by Al Khair University, Bhimber Azad Kashmir, 136 scholars have been suffering.

The commission, due to irregularities and amid reports of fake degrees being generated by universities in 2016, had banned Al Khair University from awarding degrees and requested students not to take admission in any programme at the university and decided that HEC will only recognise degrees issued by Al Khair till 2009.

Earlier, in 2012, the HEC had directed the university to refrain from launching MPhil and PhD programmes.

Participants of the press conference said decision of the HEC regarding MPhil and PhD programmes by the university was suspended by court.

Issues between the university and the commission have nothing to do with students and they should not suffer, they said, adding their degrees were completed by 2016 and it is the responsibility of HEC to attest them.

They asked Prime Minister Imran Khan, AJK Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayuum Niazi to take notice of the issue and protect the future of scholars.

Protester Amir Hussain said that he completed his MPhil in 2016 and despite IHC’s orders, the commission is not recognising degrees and further delaying the matter.

HEC’s spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2021