Fake degree holders in parliament

3 more added to fake degree holders' tally
Islamabad, Aug 31: With the addition of three more fake degree-holders added to the list on Monday, the total number of public representatives with dubious educational credentials has escalated to 49, adding to the worries of the already-embattled ruling Pakistan People's Party ranks.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has handed over another list to the Election Commission after the verification of degrees of 86 more public representatives, declaring three fake and 83 genuine.

The educational certificates of MNA Javed Hussain elected from NA-39 as an independent candidate, Amir Yar Waran, former PPP MNA from NA-184 and PML-Q MPA Iqbal Ahmed Langriyal from PP-226 had been declared fake by the HEC. The degrees of 46 MPs had been declared fake before, hence the addition has increased the tally to 49. Amir Yar Waran has already resigned after being tried in the court for having a fake degree.

HEC sources said the new list also contains the names of 83 MPs with valid degrees. Degrees of 289 members of parliament and provincial assemblies have already been held genuine and the HEC had handed over these names to the EC in two separate lists.

Prominent among those who had been cleared in the third list furnished on Monday included Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, MNA Faryal Talpur, Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Housing Minister Rehmatullah Kakar, Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, Dr Abdul Malik, Jam Madid Ali and MPA Pir Abdul Qadir Gilani. Dawn

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QAU launches fund-raising campaign
Islamabad: Quaid-e-Azam University Alumni Association on Monday launched a countrywide fund-raising campaign to assist 1,800 flood-affected students of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad.

Vice chancellors of various universities, senior members of alumni association, faculty members, university administration and affected students attended this ceremony at a local hotel.

Addressing on the occasion, QAU Vice Chancellor Dr Masoom Yasinzai informed that the university administration was receiving several messages everyday from flood-affected students regarding discontinuation of studies due to poor financial position. He appealed to the government, donor agencies and alumni members to assist Pakistan's top higher educational institution to cope with this alarming situation.

"We must save their future before they fall prey to any terrorist or negative activity as most of them belong to vulnerable and remote areas of Pakistan," Yasinzai said.

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Adviser Dr Syed Mahmood Raza said that alumni members were great asset for any university and they could be major source of funding for their alma mater at any critical situation. "Realizing the importance of role of alumni, HEC is working closely with the universities for establishment of alumni offices at each campus," Raza said.

QAU Alumni Association Secretary General Murtaza Noor briefed the participants about the various measures taken by the association to help 37 percent affected students including: award of 16 need based scholarships, assistance to affected students in job placement, establishment of flood relief fund, to provide financial assistance to the affected students and activation of regional chapters of the alumni for fund raising campaign.

He informed that 34 percent students from Punjab, 28 percent from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 19 percent from Sindh, two percent from AJK, eight percent from FATA and six percent from Northern areas have been severely affected by the recent floods.

NADRA Deputy Chairman Tariq Malik said NADRA would assist QAU and alumni association in verification of the particulars of the affected students to make the financial assistance process more transparent and viable.

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Today last date for AIOU admissions
Islamabad: Today is the last date for submission of admissions for the Semester Autumn 2010 of the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) from Matriculation to PhD levels in the country and BBA/BA/ BCom, Intermediate and Al-Lissan-ul-Arabi programmes the in Middle East countries, said Sohail Nazir Rana, Director Admissions, AIOU on Monday. Rana said neither date for submission of admission forms of PhD, MPhil and MBA (Commonwealth of Learning) programmes would be extended nor would be received with late fee. "The admission forms and prospectus are available from the main campus of University at Sector H-8, Islamabad and at its all Regional Campuses/Offices around the country," he maintained. Daily times

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