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PU Psychology Dept chairman accused of harassing females
LAHORE, Dec 08, 2007: Female teachers of the Punjab University (PU)
Psychology Department on Friday alleged that the department chairman, Mian
Aftab, was a plagiarist and had been harassing them.
According to the PU
and Higher Education Commission (HEC) rules Aftab was not eligible to hold the
office, they added. They said they had been under depression and facing
difficulties in performing their duties due to the harassment by the department
chairman.
A PU Psychology Department faculty member alleged that Dr
Aftab had been threatening female faculty members. She also alleged that he had
been using abusive language with the women faculty members. She said the
chairman had disclosed question papers and misused the department assets for
personal purposes. Dr Aftab had been terminated from the Directorate of Special
Education Department due to his illegal acts, she added.
The teachers
also alleged that PU former vice chancellor (VC) Lt General (r) Arshad Mahmood
had made several illegal appointments, including the appointment of the
Psychology Department chairman. They said the chairman had been appointed after
superseding senior professors like Prof Dr Najma Najim (grade 22), Dr
Ruhi
Kahlid, Dr Rukhsana Kosar and Dr Yasmin Farooqi (all in grade 21).
HEC
executive director Dr Sohail H Naqvi also confirmed that Aftab's doctorate
thesis was plagiarised. The HEC had issued the names of the PU plagiarists,
including Aftab, on its website, he added. He said PU chancellor Lt General (r)
Khalid Maqbool had been informed about the matter. The HEC had been waiting for
the decision of a committee formed by the chancellor to look into the matter.
PU registrar Dr Naeem Ahmed Khan said the Psychology Department chairman
was appointed on merit. He said the plagiarism case against the chairman was a
conspiracy against him. He said the female faculty members should complain to
the PU administration if they had been harassed.
Dr Aftab said that all allegations against him were baseless. He said the plagiarism
case against him was a plight of some teachers. "No one could prove plagiarism
charge on me as my thesis was according to the HEC rules."
He said he
had never threatened anyone and the women teachers were tarnishing the PU
dignity. "My appointment as the department chairman was on merit." Daily Times
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