Punjab University: Show cause notice to be issued over plagiarism

Syndicate forms committee to investigate ‘absent’ teacher.

LAHORE:

The Punjab University Syndicate decided on Saturday to serve a notice to Professor Dr Zaid Mahmood of the Institute of Chemistry in a plagiarism case.

The syndicate also decided to form a committee in the light of a preliminary inquiry report against Khujista Rehan on the complaint of some students who claimed that she was not taking classes.

The 1,075th meeting of the PU Syndicate was held at the committee room of the vice chancellor’s office.

PU Vice Chancellor Mujahid Kamran left the meeting when the agenda items were placed before the Syndicate for deliberation. Women Development Secretary Irum Bukhari chaired the meeting.

After discussing the plagiarism case against Mahmood, the syndicate decided that action would be taken on more than 19 per cent of unattributed content from all sources and more than 5 per cent material from a single source. Mahmood has confessed to plagiarism in a letter to the syndicate. The syndicate decided to serve him a show-cause notice under PEEDA Act and provide him an opportunity of personal hearing.

Regarding Khujista Rehan’s case, syndicate members were told that University Law College students had complained that she was not taking their classes.

The syndicate was told that on receiving the complaint, the PU registrar had appointed Institute of Bio-Chemistry and Bio-Technology Director Amin Ather as inquiry officer.

Ather held a preliminary inquiry and found the allegations true.

His report stated that Khujista Rehan was not taking her morning and afternoon classes.

The syndicate decided to form a three-member inquiry committee. PU Institute of Applied Psychology Chairperson Rukhsana Kausar will chair the committee and a member each will be chosen from the Higher Education Department and from Kinnaird College.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2014.