LAHORE: Is the pro-Islami Jamiat Taliba (IJT) membership a license of corruption at the Punjab University? Are the vice chancellor (VC) and the Higher Education Commission helpless to take any legal action against the pro-IJT associates who are involved in academic corruption? Are the females in our society getting justice or do they have a chance to raise their voices against corruption? These are the questions that are revolving in the education circles of the city, the reasons for which arose when the PU VC, instead of getting a final inquiry report almost one month ago, is avoiding to take any action against the director of the PU Institute of Communication Studies (ICS), Dr Ahsan Akhtar Naz.

At a time when government authorities and the HEC are totally ignoring the issue, an anxious and tense situation was seen among PU professors, as the Phd and MPhil programmes are in danger. It is important to mention that around two months ago, a PU senior faculty member exposed the corruptions of ICS Director Dr Ahsan Akhtar Naz and some other teachers that are involved in corrupt practices in the Phd and MPhil programmes. According to the allegations by Dr Affira Hamid, her colleagues Dr Ahsan Akhtar Naz and some others are involved in corrupt practices in the Phd programme. Dr Affira in this connection submitted an application to PU VC Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran and also briefed him on how the corruptions were made in examinations and admissions. She also alleged that Dr Ahsan and some faculty members were illegally promoting the Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) and exposed how a seven-member committee of the PU ICS has readmitted a former nazim of the IJT who had been dropped from the programme in 2006.

It also came to light that how the Phd rules were violated and a programme that was considered a symbol of respect across the world, was so badly damaged and abused.

However, Dr Ahsan and other teachers, including the dean and former director of ICS, Dr Mugheesuddin, denied the allegations and also alleged that Dr Affira was “just doing this for her self-promotion and to take up a slot of professor”. Some PU teachers also condemned Dr Affira on taking this step which they alleged she had done for her own vested interests.

Two months ago, PU ordered an inquiry into the matter and PU Professor Dr Khan Rass Massod was appointed the inquiry head who, after conducting an inquiry, submitted a repot to the PU VC a month ago, but the VC did not disclose the matter even though the whole student and teaching community of the country have expressed concern about the inquiry. It is important to mention here that Pakistani students abroad suffered a lot and were the target of severe criticism after the corruption had been highlighted.

It is worth mentioning that the inquiry report of the inquiry officer was referred to as “dreadful” and according to the merit, the inquiry suggested immediately terminating ICS Director Dr Ahsan Akhtar Naz and recommended that legal action be taken against others involved in the corrupt practices. The inquiry report suggests stern action against the ICS director and suggested confiscating the entire record of the MPhil and Phd programmes and legal action against responsible.

Why has no action been taken despite a month having been passed since the report was submitted to the PU VC? According to sources, the PU VC was facing strong pressure by pro-IJT teachers – which make up almost 70 percent of the varsity faculty. It is important to mention here that ICS Director Dr Ahsan Akhtar Naz is considered pro-IJT and at a time when a movement by the civil society and teaching community was started on the issue of torture on a PU teacher and all PU departments boycotted academic activities, it was only Dr Naz who conducted examinations and continued his department so that the movement would fail.Daily times