BZU Multan: Three former VCs to face corruption charges

ACE seeks permission to register cases against 22 university officials.

LAHORE:

The Anti Corruption Establishment is seeking to register cases against 22 officials of Bahauddin Zakaria University (BZU) in Multan, including three former vice chancellors, for alleged misappropriation of Rs90.88 million and abuse of authority, The Express Tribune has learnt.

ACE has sent a summary to the chief minister seeking permission to register the cases, as four of the 22 accused are in grade 21, after an inquiry found evidence of corruption by former vice chancellors Prof Shahida B Niazi (now retired), Prof Bashir Ahmed Chaudhry and Zafarullah.

The other accused include Prof Ijaz Ahmed (BS-21), controller of examinations Waqar Ahmed Qureshi (BS-19), additional registrar Shoaib Rashid Khan (BS-19), acting treasurer Maqsood Ahmed Chaudhry and 15 admin officers in BS-16, according to official documents available with The Express Tribune.



Embezzlement

The documents detailed some of the charges against Zafarullah. He allegedly submitted forged bills regarding beautification work at the university campus to embezzle Rs30.38 million, in connivance with a Prof Altaf Dasti (who is not named in the ACE summary).

Zafarullah allegedly awarded a contract for computerisation work to a company owned by his nephew, Awais, in violation of the rules. Almost Rs20 million had been spent, but the work had not been completed. The contract for university canteens had been also been awarded to friends in violation of the rules.

During his time as vice chancellor, Zafarullah hired 300 employees in violation of rules and regulations, putting an additional financial burden of Rs30 million on the university’s accounts. Merit was ignored in promotion and postings, as Shoaib Khan was promoted three times to the post of additional registrar, according to the inquiry’s findings. Zafarullah was also reported to have spent the unprecedented sum of Rs10.5 million on legal fees for cases against the university.

Corruption was rampant in the accounts and examination branches of the university during Zafarullah’s tenure, according to the inquiry.

Foreign scholarships were given to the vice chancellor’s cronies while deserving candidates were ignored. Retired employees were re-hired in violation of policy.

The charges were initially investigated by the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team, which recommended that the Higher Education Commission take action against the university officials. It also recommended that ACE conduct a full inquiry. The chief minister approved the recommendations.

The ACE investigating officer entrusted with the inquiry has now recommended that cases be registered against 22 officials for abuse of authority, misappropriation of funds and recruitments in violation of rules.

The ACE director general has sent a summary to the chief minister, asking him to advise the Punjab governor to grant permission for the registration of the cases. Rule 8 of the Punjab ACE Rules of 1985 states that the governor’s permission is required before cases can be registered against officers in grades 20 and above.

Should the governor grant the permission, cases would be registered against the officials under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using a forged document as genuine) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1947.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, former vice chancellors Prof Niazi and Prof Chaudhry said that they were not involved in any corruption at the university.

Prof Ahmed, a head of department in grade 21, said that he was not aware of the charges and could not comment. Zafarullah could not be reached for comment. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2013.