LAIIORE, Nov 15: Gujranwala Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Chairman Mehar Bashir Ahmad informed a judicial commission that the Punjab Group of Colleges and ‘Booti mafia’ had managed the protests against messed-up intermediate results during which building and furniture of the board was ransacked and burnt.
However, this information did not astonish the commission comprising Justice Chaudhry Shahid Saeed and he went on to say, “I know the influence and penetration of this group in obtaining good results for its students. During my university days, this group used to influence the examination department to secure better res tilts.”
The board chairman also produced an inquiry report of the Gujranwala district coordination officer submitted to the provincial government to this effect. The report said that students of government institutions had not participated in the protest and the group of colleges had brought its students also from Gujrat, Daska, Sialkot and Mandi Bahauddin to hold the protest demonstration.
1Ir Ahmad revealed the name of the group when the judge insisted on doing so. On judge’s query, he said the group was owned by former Lahore naziin Mian Amer Mehmood.
To another query, Mr Ahmad told the commission that for six months the board had been paying Rs9 1,000 per month for web hosting of newly-introduced computerized system. He also held former higher education department (HED) secretary Ahmad Cheema and computerization consultant Dr Majid Naeem responsible for the entire chaos.
Former HED secretary Haseeb Athar, now board of revenue member, also app eared before the commission. He stat ed that the HED had a supervisory role and had nothing to do with operational matters of education boards.
To a query about appointment of Ahad Cheema, a grade-18 officer, as 1-TED secretary (a grade-20 post), Mr Athar replied that it was unusual that a grade-18 officer was assigned the grade-20 post.
Justice Saeed expressed astonishment when Faisalabad BISE Chairman Mumtaz Husain unlike other officials
said there was no problem in the computerized system. He said no protest was held against his board. The judge asked him whether he was waiting for protest to take any action.
The judge doubted his statement and asked him, “On whose instructions you are saying this?” Mr. Husain, however, insisted that he stated the fact only.
Many other officials from different education boards and leaders of employees unions also appeared before the commission and recorded their statements.
They all spoke against former HED secretary Cheema and IT consultant for all boards, Dr Majid Naeem.
Almost all the board officials failed to answer the commission’s queries about technicalities of computerization. An official of Faisalahad board even failed to describe the meaning of “device”.
The commission adjourned its proceedings for Wednesday (today) and summoned former HED) secretary and Lahore DCO Ahad Cheema. The NAB was also directed to produce Dr Naeem on Nov 22.