It was also turned out that Aqeel used HEC letterhead for the forged documentation. PHOTO: FILE
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) was confronted with an embarrassing situation when its law officer was allegedly caught using forged documents to apply for British visas for himself and two other persons to accompany him on an ‘official visit’.
HEC sources said the British Embassy sent a letter to the commission last week for confirmation of the three persons seeking visas, but upon checking, it turned out that all the documents prepared were forged.
They said that law officer Hafiz Aqeel had forged no objection certificates, invitations, employee certificates and all other documents required for visas except for their passports.
“Aqeel tried to show in the documents that the other two persons are also HEC staff members and were invited by officials in the UK for a conference,” said a source in the HEC Human Resource Management Department.
It was also turned out that Aqeel used HEC letterhead for the forged documentation. Besides this, the sources said, Aqeel forged the signatures of two of his colleagues for a travel grant of over Rs200,000.
Sources told The Express Tribune that Aqeel has already confessed to the HEC executive director.
The HEC has suspended him and made a two-member inquiry committee which sent a charge sheet to Aqeel to reply by March 11, but he has yet to submit the reply.
One of the members of the committee, HEC Sports Director General Dr Ahmed Yahya Khan, told The Express Tribune, “I have also sought some information from the British Embassy to check all aspects of the case,” before saying he could not comment further.
Supreme Court lawyer Ashraf Gujjar said cases of fraud and forgery could be pursued against the official. “Furthermore, an FIR can be registered against him and the Federal Investigation Agency can initiate an inquiry into the case,” he said.
The two persons who were to move to UK are said to be his brother and another close relative.
An HEC official said Aqeel has already been to six countries without an incident and the news came as a surprise to all employees who knew him.
The Express Tribune tried to contact HEC Chairman Javed R Leghari for his comments, but he did not reply.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2013.
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