HEC Directed to Bring Reforms in Scholarship Policy
Abdul Wahid rejected the documents submitted by him as a guarantor, claiming he did not sign them.
The Islamabad High Court has directed the HEC to bring reforms in its scholarship policy and issued guidelines.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani issued a written verdict consisting of 12 pages.
The Islamabad High Court has stopped HEC from recovering 25 million rupees from the guarantor for obtaining a scholarship.
The court annulled the recovery degree of 85,406 Euros and 76,386 rupees against the guarantor, Abdul Wahid.
The written verdict states that Imran Taj applied for an overseas scholarship for a Ph.D. on June 2, 2005, and his agreement with HEC was finalized on December 26, 2005.
The court mentioned that Imran Taj submitted a guarantee to serve in Pakistan for four years upon completion of the scholarship, but after completing the scholarship, he did not return from France as per the agreement.
Abdul Wahid rejected the documents submitted by him as a guarantor, claiming he did not sign them.
The FIA was instructed to examine and compare the signatures, and a report was presented on September 14, 2023.
Imran Taj submitted fake documents to HEC, and HEC does not have the authority to recover from the appellant as the guarantor.
The court further stated that HEC could pursue criminal prosecution against Ph.D. scholars and the concerned officials.
HEC could file a case against Imran Taj for submitting fake documents. The federal government can follow these guidelines in the future to prevent such losses.
The decision also mentioned that guarantees for scholarships should be registered with the relevant district sub-registrar.