UET deprives student of degree for 38 years
The University of Engineering and Technology (UET) issued the degree of BSc Electrical Engineering to a Qatari student after 38 years on the orders of the Ombudsman of Punjab, Major (Retd.) Azam Sulaiman Khan.
In a statement issued in the provincial capital on Tuesday, a spokesperson said that on an online application by the foreign student, Lui Khalil Ibrahim, the Ombudsman Punjab ordered the Secretary of Higher Education to take disciplinary action under the Punjab Employees, Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act by identifying those responsible for the mismanagement and also sought a report within 45 days of all those students who had not been awarded degrees for a long time.
Ibrahim, a student from Qatar, applied to the Ombudsman Punjab, stating that he had completed BSc Electrical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore in 1984, but despite several appeals, the degree had not yet been issued.
The Punjab Ombudsman directed the adviser, Dr Sajid Yousafani, to inquire into the matter and give relief to the petitioner.
During the investigation, it was found that the petitioner’s degree had not yet been prepared. Upon this finding, the investigation officer, Dr. Sajid Yousafani, directed the registrar of the University of Engineering and Technology and the Controller of Examinations to prepare and provide the applicant’s degree immediately.
On the direction of the investigation officer, the registrar of the UET prepared the degree and handed it over to the applicant’s representative in Pakistan.
The Ombudsman of Punjab termed the non-production of a student’s degree for 38 years a serious mismanagement.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2022.