ISLAMABAD: A Senate standing committee on Tuesday criticised the poor quality of education, financial corruption and appointments and promotions that violated eligibility criteria at Hazara University.

Senators Nauman Wazir Khattak, Mohammad Azam Khan Swati and Mushahid Hussain Syed who had prepared a gloomy report on corruption at the educational institution urged the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to save the university from `destruction`.

Committee chairperson Rahila Magsi had, earlier, formed a subcommittee with Mr Khattak as its convenor to look into allegedly rampant unancial corruption and irregular hiring processes at the university.The subcommittee`s report accused the university`s former vice chancellor Dr Ehsan Ali and acting vice chancellor Dr Sohail Shahzed of violating hiring laws, and pointed out two individuals, Shahe Room and Farah Deeba, whom it believed had been hired in violation of the rules and extended undue favours.

The committee was informed that Shahe Room was hired as assistant registrar in 2006, and promoted to deputy registrar seven months later.

According to the report, he did not qualify for either position. A year later, the university`s senior management selected him for a scholarship programme for teachers` development in the United Kingdom even though he was not faculty. Two years and thousands of pounds in university funds later, Shahe Room returned without completing his PhD.

Farah Deeba was similarlyawarded a PhD scholarship from university resources. After completing her doctoral degree, she did not return to Pakistan to teach at her parent organisation as agreed under the programme, and has been in the UK for seven years.

`A criminal case must be initiated against Shahe Room for misleading the university board and misusing public funds. Tuition fee for the scholarship programme must be recovered from Shahe Room, in full,` said Senator Khattak.

According to the subcommittee members, Shahe Room was given ample opportunity to defend himself but had nothing to say.

For failing to return to Pakistan to teach at her parent organization, they also suggested penal action against Farah Deeba, and complete recovery of the funds spent on her PhD, which was paid for from public funds.

Senator Khattak said in his reportthat these irregularities were approved by former vice chancellor Dr Ehsan Ali, and said Dr Ali should be `barred from holding any public office`.

The standing committee was also informed that during his tenure, acting vice chancellor Dr Sohail Shahzad made 76 appointments to various departments in the university without demand, need assessments and competitive process.

Currently, 28 of these employees are serving at the university, and 21 are at the Abbottabad University of Science and Technology.

`An example must be set while punishing top management for nepotism so that in the future, heads of departments refrain from resorting to corrupt practices,` said Mr swati.

Senator Magsi directed the head of the HEC, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, to implement the recommendations in the report and present a quarterly report on their progress.