HEC to close Christchurch victim's refund case

The commission explained that Mehmood had been awarded an HEC scholarship but did not complete the academic programme

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday closed a refund case of a scholar who had been martyred in the Christchurch attack.

HEC officials had sent a letter to the family of 40-year-old Haroon Mahmood in Sector G-7 for paying Rs367,822 which he allegedly owed the commission.

However, his family responded that he was one of the 50 victims of the March 15 Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand.

“The name of Haroon Mehmood has appeared in the list of those martyred in the recent Christchurch attack,” read a statement issued by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday.

“It was later learned that in 2017 and 2018 HEC had sent numerous notices to an HEC scholar with the same name.“

The commission explained that Mehmood had been awarded an HEC scholarship but left the country before completing his academic programme, and allegedly without informing HEC.

HEC ‘seeks to recover Rs0.36 million’ from Christchurch victim

“He was sent notices every month during 2017 and 2018 and a final warning on April 15, 2019. He did not respond to any correspondence.”

In response to the final notice sent by the HEC, his family contacted the commission to tell them that Mehmood had become a victim of terrorism in Christchurch.

“His family was conveyed heartfelt condolences and were informed that previous letters were issued because HEC had no information about his tragic demise,” read the statement, adding that the victim’s family have been asked to provide the death certificate and other documents so that the case can be formally closed.

It had emerged on Monday that the HEC had sent a notice to the family of the father of two who was slain at Masjid Al-Noor in New Zealand.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2019.