Alleged violation of merit: Mardan varsity mulls sacking over 70 employees

MARDAN: The administration of the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) has decided to issue the termination orders of more than 70 employees who were allegedly appointed through illegal ways and fake documents.

A senior official told The News on the condition of anonymity that the recruitment was made against the various positions through an advertisement number 48.However, the official said the procedure for the termination would be decided at the Syndicate’s meeting being held today.

He added that in September 2015 the university administration issued an advertisement for the appointment of Demonstrators (BPS-16), Office Assistants (BPS-16), Upper Division Clerks (PBS-14), KPO (BPS-11) and Lab Assistants (BPS-7).

“The tests and interviews were conducted,” the official said, adding that later several people, including male and female, were appointed to fill the positions.“The university administration allegedly increased the merit

marks of four jobseekers including Muhammad Ayub Khan from 55.1 to 59.1 marks, Mohammad Farooq from 52.9 to 58.9, Nadia Yousaf from 50.4 to 58.4 and Ali Akbar from 52.00 to 58.00,” the sources said.

The sources claimed that some private colleges allegedly provided fake experience certificates to certain applicants appointed as Demonstrators in BPS-16.The sources said that through these fake experience certificates fresh candidates lacking experience were appointed as Demonstrators. “Some of the appointees even didn’t take the test and were appointed as Demonstrators,” the sources alleged.

The university administration, the sources said, allegedly appointed the relatives of the varsity’s officials and blue-eyed persons against the posts in violation of the appointment procedure. “Two jobseekers namely Rani Begum and Sadaf Bibi have approached the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to challenge the appointment of Demonstrators,” the sources added.

The sources added that several applicants who were not appointed had complained about the alleged violation of rules.“The joint investigation team (JIT) investigating the Mashal Khan lynching incident had also recommended the scrutiny of all the employees appointed in the university by the previous administration,” the sources recalled.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the sources further said, had also launched an inquiry into the allegations.“The university’s administration appointed a four-member inquiry committee on the directives of the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 3 to probe any possible wrongdoings,” sources added.

Dr Zahid Ali Marwat, dean Faculty of Social Sciences, is convener of the inquiry committee. Dr Zahoorul Haq, dean Faculty of Business and Economics, Dr Niaz Mohammad, dean Faculty of Arts and Humanities and Dr Sultan Ayaz, dean Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences are members of the committee. The committee had collected the relevant record and launched the inquiry.The sources added the administration had also decided to submit the inquiry report to the PHC and NAB.