LAHORE - The Lahore High Court on Tuesday reissued notice to Higher Education Commission of Pakistan to submit reply in a petition challenging private universities established without fulfilling the legal requirements.
A deputy attorney general appeared in the court and sought time to submit reply. The court accepted his plea and adjourned the hearing. Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree filed the petition saying that private universities were fleecing the students in the name of education. He stated that a majority of the private universities were established without fulfilling the law and were minting money from students. These fake universities were damaging the base of this nation by selling out degrees against heavy amounts, the petitioner said, while requesting the court to shut down such universities.
Former Lesco Chief acquitted: A central judge (FIA Courts) on Tuesday acquitted former Lesco chief Arshad Rafiq and former director operations Mehboob Ali from charges of misappropriation and misuse of authority.
FIA had registered the cases against the officers accusing them of causing huge loss to national exchequer in purchasing process for the transformers, selling electricity quota of domestic consumer to blue-eyed industries and misuse of powers.
However, the suspects’ counsel pleaded that FIA arrested them without any evidence and holding a prior inquiry, mandatory for the agency. He said the case registered against them was a result of political victimization.
He denied all the charges leveled against the accused and said the agency failed to recover anything from the suspects.
After hearing the arguments, the judge acquitted Lesco officers of the charges. The officers were already released on bail.