PAC takes note of fake degree holder's appointment in NHA

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday was shocked over the appointment of a fake degree holder in the National Highway Authority (NHA) and directed the Communication Ministry to submit a report within a month.
Muhammad Umar Shah was appointed as assistant director admin in BPS-17 and is currently working as director revenue in NHA headquarters in BPS-19. The gentleman held a fake graduation degree.
Presided over by MNA Kanwar Khalid Younis here, a sub-committee of the PAC grilled NHA Chairman Major General Farrukh Javeed over the issue. But the serving military man was daring enough to put the blame on what he called a traditional political interference in appointments in various government departments.
"This may be the case of a politically-motivated appointment," the chairman came up with a brisk comment to cover up what might be called a criminal negligence on part of the department he heads.
The auditor general of Pakistan in its report presented to the sub-committee revealed that the officer was appointed in BPS-17 back in 1981 in the office of director general NHA Islamabad. The minimum qualification required for the post was graduation but the university disowned the degree of the appointee.
Instead terminating him, the NHA high ups provided Umar an opportunity to appear in the university examination for obtaining a genuine degree and kept him in service. He then successfully availed the opportunity.
But the auditor general report said the other degree was also bogus because during the days of examination at Quetta, Umar was under training at Islamabad form August 15 to September 15, 1983.
"Under these circumstances, his appointment on the other degree was also irregular," the AGP report said. The NHA also conceded in its departmental reply that the degree produced by the officer had remained a question and was investigated both by the ministry itself and the Federal Ombudsmen.
"However, he passed the B.A examination and his certificate was accepted by the above authority giving him the clearance of probation period and retention in the service," the department said. But neither the chairman of the NHA nor the replies his department came up with could satisfy the committee that vowed a stern action against responsible and directed the presentation of a report.