LAHORE: The Punjab University (PU) syndicate on Saturday quashed the bachelor’s degree of Abdul Qadir Gilani, the son of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. Besides this, 26 other degrees of different individuals were also quashed on charges of impersonation and unfair means cases (UMCs) etc. The latest decision regarding the degree of Qadir Gilani is based on a de novo inquiry, which was initiated by the university’s statutory body, the syndicate, a couple of years ago. Qadir Gilani had appeared in the PU annual exam under roll number 94281 in 2005 and an unfair means case (UMC) was registered against him vide number 53/13-2006 dated 25-2-2006. Later, a three-member disciplinary committee, headed by the then Professor Dr Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal and comprising Prof Muhammad Ahmed and Assistant Prof Samee Uzair Khan, was formed to probe the fake degree matter. The committee later debarred the junior Gilani from taking the BA examination for three years and his result card was also quashed on account that he appeared for the examination at the PU examination hall located at Wahdat Road instead of appearing at his original examination centre, set up at the FC College University. The allegations levelled against Junior Gilani were that of changing his examination centre and “hooliganism” at the centre. However, he was punished on charges of impersonation. Later on, another inquiry committee comprising Prof Dr Liaqat Ali, the then controller examination, Prof Dr Rahat Naveed Masud, former principal College of Art and Design, Prof Dr Hafiz Mahmood Akhtar, Dean Faculty of Islamic Studies and Prof Dr Khan Rass Masood, the then registrar, exonerated Abdul Qadir Gilani and he was awarded the BA degree after declaration of the charges as false.
