DERA GHAZI KHAN - Despite several protest rallies taken out by students of the Indus International Institute (III), the university management and the local lawmaker did not bother to respond to the issue regarding issuance of fake degrees.
It was the fifth time when dozens of M-Phil students of Indus International Institute (III) took out a protest rally against the university management for issuing them fake degrees here on Sunday. Male/Female students of different disciplines including English, Urdu, Education, Mathematics, Islamiat, Sociology, Computer Science, Mass Communication and Management Sciences participated in the rally which was taken out form DG Khan Press Club to Traffic Chowk. They were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans in support of their demands. They shouted slogans against the III management particularly Dr Najeeb Haider, Dr Rashida Qazi and Dr Nadeem Iqbal. They said the three persons are officials of the Ghazi University DG Khan but are working at the private institution.
Talking to The Nation, one of the protesting studetns Sher Afghan Buzdar alleged that III chairman Hafiz Abdul Kareem established an “Alfalah Welfare Organization” a few years ago to sweep donors’ pockets under guise of welfare projects. He said that Indus Institute is part of the NGO, established for extorting money in the name of public welfare. He regretted that future of more than 1,500 students have been spoiled through this fraud educational institute.
Salma Merani, another victim of the III fraud, said that the students have been suffering severe problems due to non-issuance of original degrees for the last four years. She regretted that every student paid Rs128,000 to Rs165,000 as fee but their dream of getting degrees does not seem to be materialised.
Abdul Rashid Gauhar, another protesting student, said that the III chairman had used names of influential persons including the Punjab Governor and provincial ministers to run his institute.
RS709M BUDGET APPROVED: Sialkot Municipal Corporation approved its Rs709 million tax-free budget to be used till June 30, 2017.
Mayor Chaudhary Tauheed Akhtar said that Rs270 million had been allocated for the development schemes, Rs30 million for potable water, Rs395 million for non-development schemes, Rs6 million for purchasing the streetlights with new electrical polls, Rs8 million allocated for the manholes and Rs10 million for the greenbelts and city beautification.
He said that no new tax has been levied in the budget. He said that the special attention has been focused on the betterment of the municipal services.