PESHAWAR: Member of the National Assembly (MNA) and member of the Gomal University syndicate, Dawar Kundi, has made fresh allegations in the ongoing fake degree scandal, claiming that the controversy has widened beyond the university and may involve individuals linked to the senior political leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Kundi alleged that the matter has now extended to figures close to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister (CM) Sohail Afridi. He further claimed that the removal of the university’s Vice Chancellor was the result of mounting pressure after the issue reached higher levels of the provincial administration, including the Chief Minister’s Office.
Kundi has said it is “very unfortunate” that the university’s Vice Chancellor was removed over issues that, according to him, had already been cleared.
He stated that such actions were damaging the reputation of a well-known educational institution and could also harm the image of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Kundi further alleged that attempts to protect individuals close to the chief minister, who are allegedly linked to the fake degree case, were behind the controversy.
Gomal University VC Sent on 90-Day Forced Leave as Inquiry Begins Over Irregularities
Yesterday, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has immediately sent Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zafar Iqbal on compulsory leave for 90 days following the administrative and security crisis at Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan.
According to a notification issued by the Higher Education Department, the action has been taken on the recommendations of the inquiry committee with the approval of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi under the Gomal University Act 2012.
According to the notification issued, the provincial government has also appointed Senior Administrative Officer (BPS-19) Imranullah Khan as the new Registrar of Gomal University until further orders to run the administrative affairs of the university.
On the other hand, a high-level investigation committee has been formed to conduct a detailed inquiry into the serious problems arising in the university.
The convener of this committee will be Commissioner DI Khan, while Vice Chancellor of the University of Peshawar and the Registrar of the University of Science and Technology Bannu have been included as members of the committee.
According to the TORs issued for the investigation committee, the committee will investigate the alleged incident that went viral on social media in which a university security officer fired on a law college student. It will also get to the root of the alleged sale and use of drugs in Hostel No. 1 and the recent controversy that arose from it.
The committee has been tasked with a detailed review of non-merit recruitments, financial matters, overall security protocols and hostel management in the university.
According to the notification, the committee will be required to submit its final report to the Higher Education Department within 14 days after recording the statements of all stakeholders and identifying the officers who misused their powers.
