Merit or personal liking?: LHC orders investigation into laptop distribution program

University student filed petition saying that laptops were being distributed on personal liking instead of merit.


Our Correspondent April 03, 2012

LAHORE: Hearing a petition filed by a university student, the Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed the convener of Youth Development Program to investigate whether the laptops being distributed at Government University College (GCU) were on the basis of personal liking.

Asghar Javed, a student of MPhil (Urdu) at GCU, filed a petition on Monday claiming that the laptops being distributed as a part of the program initiated by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were not based on merit.

Justice Umar Ata Bandyal, hearing the petition, ordered the convener of the program to investigate into the issue and also ordered the petitioner to approach the convener after seven days to resolve his grievance. The petition was disposed of after the orders were passed.

Javed, through his counsel Advocate Rana Ali Imran, had submitted that the laptops were being distributed on the basis of political and personal liking. According to the merit system, students deserving laptops should secure 60 per cent marks in annual exams and 70 per cent in semester system, he maintained.

He added that he had cleared two semesters and gained 81.27 per cent marks with 3.25 GPA, but was not given the laptop while three students of the GCU, who did not fulfill the criteria, were being given laptops.

Javed further said that three students, including Saira and Saman, are also working as lecturers at different educational institutions and also have GPAs lower than his but have received the laptops.

He requested the court to ensure merit in distribution of these laptops.

COMMENTS (6)

Imran | 11 years ago | Reply

That's it? LHC basically asking Youth Development Program to bribe this student to silence his voice. Any criminal charges for irregularities in the laptop distribution scheme? Any suo motto? Oh I see, its PML-N we are talking about, which has an insurance against criminal prosecution, after the long march.

Naveed | 11 years ago | Reply

Instead of free laptops, the Punjab govt. should make efforts to eliminate religious fascism which has spread widely in our society. Free license given to the religious lobby to spread their hate filled propaganda throughout Punjab has poisoned the minds of young children. Strict action needs to be taken to reduce the influence of the religious lobby in Punjab. Millions of children are being indoctrinated in madrassas which churn out millions of homophobic, misogynistic, bigoted students into our society.

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