LAHORE, March 10: World’s renowned physicists and their organisations have commended the Punjab University (PU) chancellor's action against five plagiarists, while some experts have demanded that heavy fines be imposed on the convicts for damaging the repute of 125-year-old prestigious educational institution.

PU Chancellor and Governor Khalid Maqbool had sent on compulsory retirement five teachers of Centre for High Energy Physics (CHEP) – Prof Dr Fazl-i-Aleem, Rashid Ahmad, Sohail Afzal Tahir, M Alam Saeed and Maqsood Ahmad – for plagiarism on the recommendations of a high-level inquiry committee.

In a news release issued here on Monday, the PU stated that some of its teachers were propagating against the decision and actually challenging the powers of the chancellor.

It stated that a vast majority of scientists and educationists had welcomed the action against the plagiarists and a number of prestigious international and national organisations as well as scientists were contacting the university for educational and research collaboration in the wake of this decision.

The news release said that John Ellis of Centre European de Recherche Nucleaire (CERN), a European organisation for nuclear research, had congratulated the PU administration for taking action against the plagiarists.

John Ellis, a most respected scientist in the high energy physics, in an e-mail sent to the PU vice-chancellor had sought that how CERN and PU could develop relations.

The news release said the CERN was parting its ways from the PU after the plagiarism case surfaced and it was considering closing the doors of its research laboratories for Pakistanis. However, now the CERN physics leader wanted enhancing relationship with the PU, it added.

Former permanent faculty member and director external activities of Abdul Salam International Centre for Physics, Trieste, Italy, Dr Faheem Husain has also commended the decision of sending CHEP teachers on compulsory retirement. Dr Husain, who is now associated with LUMS School of Science and Engineering, has stated: "Congratulations on getting rid of plagiarists at CHEP. Well done!"

Prof Asghar Qadir from Centre for Advanced Mathematics and Physics, National University of Science and Technology (NUST), has also sent an e-mail saying: "Congratulations on the final action that has been taken in the plagiarism issue against five CHEP faculty members. This was important to restore credibility of the Physics and Mathematics community of the Punjab University and indeed of Pakistan. We look forward to further action from you so that PU stands as an example and role model for all other universities and research centres in Pakistan. We assure you of full support in this battle against plagiarists."

Prof Riazuddin, director-general of National Centre for Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, has also lauded the PU administration for the action taken against plagiarists and added that the move was very important to restore the credibility of physics teachers and students of the PU and the country.

Meanwhile, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has decided releasing PU's Rs110 million grant, which was earlier stopped after plagiarism case emerged.

HEC executive-director Dr Sohail Naqvi has lauded the PU chancellor’s decision of sending five plagiarists on compulsory retirement and announced that the PU grants would be released soon.