PMA, parents demand inquiry into paper leak

Threaten province-wide protests and demo outside Punjab Assembly

FAISALABAD: The office bearers of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and parents of students have demanded an inquiry into the leaking of question paper of Medical and Dental College admission test on social media which was held on August 20.

They demanded that the Supreme Court, provincial chief minister and Lahore High Court chief justice take suo motu notice of the matter. They claimed paper leaks deprived a good number of intelligent and eligible students from acquiring admission in the MBBS. While speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the parents of affected students and PMA officials said the question paper was leaked in one of the educational institutions to the students who appeared in the test.



They alleged the question paper was available on social media 24 hours before the test was scheduled to be held and a particular academy earned money by selling it to the students. They contended that it was unfair that those students who secured top positions in intermediate examination in their respective boards were declared fail in the entry test result, while those who were not even among the top list of the board secured 1,000 plus marks which clearly indicate foul play.

They alleged that by providing back door opportunity through paper leak the intelligent and eligible students were deprived of fair competition and admission in the MBBS programme. They said such injustice was not acceptable and they will not remain silent over the matter. They threatened that if immediate inquiry was not ordered into the issue, they will launch province-wide protests and will stage demonstration outside the Punjab Assembly.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the spokesman of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) denied the allegations of the leakage of paper and termed the accusations as baseless. He added rumours were being spread on social media to malign an institution which was known for its valid, reliable and secure systems.



He pointed out the objective of the post on social media by certain elements was to create unrest among the candidates and to incite them against the institution and the government. He advised the students not to lend an ear to such rumours.

He revealed that UHS had asked the cyber crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to act against those spreading rumours on social media regarding leakage of the question paper. The official elaborated that a formal letter was sent to the FIA by UHS Vice-Chancellor Dr Junaid Sarfraz to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring all those to justice who were involved behind the conspiracy.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2017.