10- Day Physical Remand Approved For Arrested Former VC of Punjab University

Former vice-chancellor (VC) of Punjab University Dr Mujahid Kamran was presented before Accountability Court in Lahore on Friday. The Accountability Court has approved 10-Day remand even though NAB has requested remand of 15-days. Five other former registrars of Punjab University namely, Dr Liaquat, Dr Aurangzaib, Dr Raas Masood, Dr Kamran Zahid and Ameen Athar were also taken remand of. The accused were hand cuffed when they appeared in the court. The lawyers of former VC and registrars requested the Court to remove the handcuffs of accused, as they are teachers of thousands of students and deserve respect. Furthermore the lawyers, pointed at Shahbaz Sharif referring him as “robbing the nation’s money”, but still he was not handcuffed during his hearing at the court. Mr.Mujahid Kamran kept his stand of being innocent. The former VC said he made appointments on orders of Chief Minister of Punjab and Governor of Punjab. The next hearing of the Court is adjourned till 22 October, 2018. A large number of Punjab University students were also present in the hearing; the students chanted slogans against the VC and registrars. NAB prosecutor accused the arrested for making 550 non-merit appointments, giving scholarships to their favorite, students, nepotism and during 9 years of his tenure the former VC appointed (gave job) his wife Shazia Qureshi as principal of Punjab Law college. The NAB prosecutor requested remand so that they can get further information from the arrested about more involved in the corruption. However, the chief justice has taken notice of handcuffing the accused teachers, and asked DG NAB and DIG operations to present report within three days. NAB is being criticized for this act. The accused teachers are not still found guilty. They should have treated with respect, because teachers are reformers of the nation. This act does not set a good example. The debate on the social media and electronic media has risen regarding this matter. Several students have objected the handcuffing act and some are justifying it. But the fact that, the accused are not proven guilty yet and they must be given a benefit of doubt is more popular idea among the masses.NAB is an individual organization and it works independently. Its work is to take actions against corruption and irregularities all around Pakistan. NAB has been quite active since the election of new government. It must be noted that the PTI government had risen to fame for its anti-corruption campaigns and the recent arrests of Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were also made possible due to shared belief of majority of Pakistanis.

As the case is further unfolding, more information and claims are surfacing such as; the land owned by Punjab University was also sold during former VC Mujahid Kamran tenure for a road that goes towards Allama Iqbal Town. The Former VC allegedly sold the land in billions. Punjab University is an independent body, all the former VC’s before Mujahid Kamran never agreed for this plan but Mujahid Kamran did.