Peshawar University plagiarism issue | BA/BSc exams in Malakand

UoP admin shortlists 'plagiarist' for professorship. IER director appointed in 'violation' of varsity
Peshawar, May 30: Ignoring the plagiarism of an associate professor, the University of Peshawar administration has shortlisted him for the post of full professor in the Institute of Education and Research (IER), while new director for the same institute was appointed in violation of the varsity statutes.

Associate Professor Mohammad Nouman was accused of copying two articles of Tanvir Khalid and Siddiq Kalim and getting them published in his name, sources said. Presenting copies of those plagiarised articles along with their original ones, the sources said that on the basis those papers he was appointed as associate professor in the Department of Arabic and then transferred to the IER, where he was made director.

The sources said that when the plagiarism issue got public, he (Nouman) was removed from the directorship of the institute, but no further action was taken against him. It is also noteworthy here that he has also been put on the HEC website in the list of professors involved in plagiarism, they added.

The university administration, however, ignored the serious issue in which the minimum punishment is termination from service and very recently four professors in Karachi have been terminated on the same charges, and shortlisted him for the post of professor in the institute.

Three persons had been shortlisted for the post, but no-one could be appointed on it. The other two were Dr Arbab Khan Afridi of IER and Ibrahim Khattak of Agricultural University, the sources said. The university administration, on the other hand, is of the opinion that the post of professor was advertised and several applicants turned up; however, only three, who were meeting the required criteria, were shortlisted, but the appointment could not be made due to some technical reasons.

Also, there are serious concerns over the appointment of Malak Naz, the principal of University Public School, as director of the institute, which they say is a clear example of favoritism and nepotism.

Sources told this correspondent that the appointment of a school cadre officer as head of the institute of higher studies was against the university rules. The sources said that according to the university statutes one from the top three faculty members of the institute should be appointed as director, but the rules were turned down.

The most serious thing is that Malak Naz is not having the relevant qualification for the position. "How can a man, who doesn't have specialised qualification in education and research, be the head of the institute of education and research?" a source questioned.

Above all, Malak Naz is a non-PhD and six PhD teachers are already serving in the institute. Three others are about to get their PhD degrees, the sources said. Malak is a grade-19 officer while two BPS-21, four BPS-20 and three 19-grade professors have already been serving there.

The sources maintained that another serious issue was that Malak, who has been appointed on a three-year contract, is about to retire in a month or two. And after his retirement special package would be given to him, the sources said, adding that perhaps it would be for the first time in the history of the university that a retired officer has been made head of an institute on such a lucrative package.

Currently, Malak Naz is serving both as head of UPS and director IER for which he is given special allowance, the sources maintained. When contacted, UoP Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Azmat Hayat Khan said it was his power vested in him by the University Syndicate to appoint a man who could run the department well.

About the qualification of Malak Naz, he said he needed an administrator and not an academician. "If proper qualified persons are required to head institutions, then why army generals are appointed as vice-chancellors," he remarked. The News

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BA/BSc exams in Malakand postponed
Peshawar: University of Peshawar (UoP) has postponed the examination of BA/BSc in Malakand division till indefinite time period. According to a statement issued here on Friday Peshawar University has asked the students of BA/BSc who wanted to take the examination in Malakand division not to sit for examination due to security concerns. However, the statement said that the students who are willing to take the exam in Peshawar centers are to be allowed to sit for the examination. It is pertinent to mention here that the examination of BA/BSc is falling from June 19 for which 146 examination centers have been set up. The students who want to sit for examination according to the statement in Peshawar can contact university examination department for further information.

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Private schools closed in NWFP
Peshawar: The NWFP Elementary & Secondary Education Department has notified that all private schools (including missionary, autonomous, semi autonomous schools) shall remain closed for summer vacations from May 29 to August 31, 2009. The schools in plain areas of NWFP will be closed from 29-5-2009 to 31-8-2009 while in hilly and snowy areas from 29-5-2009 to 30-6-2009, said an official notification here Friday. All the EDOs (E&S) Department have been directed to ensure the compliance of the above orders of the government in letter and spirit. F.P report

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Students block KKH to protest shortage of teachers
Hunza: Students on Friday blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for two hours protesting against the education department for not solving problems being faced by their school.

Students of the Federal Government Boys High School Aliabad chanted slogans against the officials of the education department and demanded immediate appointment of teachers and other staff immediately.

They announced boycott of classes for three days and said that the secretary education had visited the school recently and assured immediate actions but after passage of many days no steps had been taken so far.

When Assistant Commissioner Zameer Abbas, Deputy Superintendent Police Sarwar Khan, Tehsildar Amir Khan and community representatives assured the students that the education department would take notice of the situation, they ended their protest. Dawn

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Students end hunger strike at LUMHS
Hyderabad: The protesting final year students of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) here on Friday ended their hunger strike unto death after an assurance from Sindh Health Secretary Hashim Raza Zaidi.

The secretary health, along with Health Department officials and LUMHS Vice-Chancellor Noushad Shaikh, visited the students, who had gone on hunger strike outside the Hyderabad Press Club, and asked them to end their hunger strike.

The students had gone on hunger strike four days ago against the overlapping of house jobs which, they said, kept the LUMHS students at least nine months behind schedule from other medical students. The secretary health said the demands of the students were right and a summary would be moved shortly to the chief minister and the overlapping would be ended. The News

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