ISLAMABAD - Transparency International’s rating Pakistan amongst the 20 most corrupt nations in the world is not that serious as the revelation of intellectual corruption, and that too, in one of the country’s top educational institutions.
Ironically, the custodians of “meritocracy” and flag bearers of the rule of law have torn apart the merit and social justice by recruiting a favourite as Assistance Professor at the National Institute of Pakistan Studies at the Quaid-i-Azam University.
According to information and other details gathered by this scribe, the NIPS planned recruitment of a tenure-track AP as expert instructor on the Political Economy while an influential figure managed to get his son-in-law appointed despite the fact that he was not eligible. Sources informed TheNation that consequent upon the initial advertisement Aasim Sajjad, who holds PhD in Political Economy from School of Oriental and African Studies, UK, was one of the two candidates who passed the test and declared selected for the interview. But the selection board objected during the interview to Dr Aasim that he did not possess work experience and due to conflict of opinions among the members of the selection board the recruitment process was deferred and post was advertised afresh. Though, the institute advertised the post again but with the condition that the candidates should hold Economics degree. Consequently, the other candidate could not qualify for the post as he was holding degree in Pakistan Studies despite the fact that he was the gold medal recipient and the selection board had no choice but to select Dr Aasim.
Joint efforts of Director of NIPS who is nowadays on a visit abroad and father-in-law of Dr Aasim who also holds prominent position at the university made it all possible. Dr Aasim who also leads People’s Rights Movement (PRM), a left-wing party was in the forefront of the noisy protests during lawyers’ movement with students and got media attention along with lawyers during that period. The Acting Director of the institute could not be contacted as her cell phone was switched off.Nation