PESHAWAR - Despite merit-based selection for the Prime Minister Laptop Scheme, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) regional office Peshawar is now allegedly adopting delaying tactics in awarding laptops to the students of Khyber Medical University (KMU).
The top position holders of Khyber Medical University (KMU) were on their summer vacations in remote areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and after their selection and scrutinising their names, the HEC invited them to come and receive their laptops. However, when students came to Khyber Medical University Peshawar, the HEC staff member first excused them that it was too late to attend the distribution ceremony.
The students complained that despite waiting for five-hour in the hall of Khyber Medical University, the HEC staff could not reach even at 12:00pm which forced the students to visit the HEC regional office in Hayatabad and brought the responsible persons to the university on the orders of HEC Director Zaheer Ahmad Awan.
When the officer concerned came to Khyber Medical University, he told the students that a mistake was committed in the selection process and he would review the overall selection process before awarding the laptops.
The students asked the HEC staff if they were adopting delaying tactics then why the students were invited from Swat, Shangla and Buner in the scorching heat and Ramazan.
The students informed that a Focal Person of Khyber Medical University and HEC Assistant Director Suleman were making hurdles in the distribution process. They said that there is no mistake in the validation data which they provided to HEC for merit list and they scrutinised and finalised their names for these laptops but these were just delaying tactics to teach a lesson to students due to their protest on the issue. The students said that it was responsibility of the focal person to support their case but instead of supporting them, he was against them. They said that their laptops were kept at the store house of Khyber Medical University and exposed to theft and other damages and if any change was made in the selection, HEC staff will be responsible for merit violation.
When The Nation contacted, Director HEC Regional Office Peshawar Zaheer Ahmad Awan said that he was not aware of this situation and he would direct the staff to invite the students again from their villages for receiving their laptops. He assured that those who were selected will be awarded laptops. However he said that sometime lower staff was creating problems for students.
When contacted, Focal Person Khyber Medical University Fawad Khan said that due to mistake in the selection process, the laptops ceremony was delayed. He said the validation data of students was not correct and they were again scrutinising the process.
On the other hand, the students said that re-scrutinising the process will mean to bring change in the original merit list which has been prepared after detail investigation by senior staff members of HEC. They appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take notice of the situation and direct the HEC staff for delivery of laptops to students.