Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Perhaps persons vary for the Higher Education Commission as it awarded an equivalent certificate to a graduate of Muhammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU) Islamabad without taking into account the basic criteria set by the Commission itself.

As per documents available with Daily Times, Dr. Husnain Naqvi, who is currently Assistant professor of the International Islamic University (III) has done MS in Telecom Engineering from the then Muhammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU) in 2006 and PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, from the University of Auckland New Zealand. The MAJU is now called the Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST).

Dr. Husnain Naqvi, with MS in Telecom Engineering and PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, has not only been appointed as Assistant Professor in Computer Science but is also serving as the Chairman of the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering of the Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences at the IIU.

Naqvi after obtaining 16 years qualification (MCS) in Computer Science from the IIU, enrolled himself for the MS degree in Telecom Engineering at Muhammad Ali Jinnah University without having an engineering degree.

When this scribe tried to know the criteria on which Dr.Naqvi had been enrolled at the MAJU in Telecom Engineering, Vice Chancellor Muhammad Mansoor Ahmed’s staff member Tariq said that the relevant qualification in the previous degrees was mandatory for admission in the engineering subjects. He, however, said “the university is not offering MS degree in Telecom Engineering now”.

Later Dr.Naqvi was sent to the University of Auckland New Zealand in 2008 for PhD in the field of Electrical Engineering under the faculty development programme of the IIU sponsored by the HEC.

Naqvi obtained a PhD in December 2012, but the university did not pay him the qualification allowance of Rs. 10,000 per month because, as per HEC sources, the Higher Education Commission refused to provide an equivalent to his PhD degree.

As per PEC requirement for enrollment in any masters programme in engineering one must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

Dr.Naqvi by and large got his MS Engineering degree from MAJU without having a bachelor’s degree in the field of engineering, hence it was not recognized by the PEC and the Higher Education Commission. For that reason the HEC was initially reluctant to attest Naqvi’s MS degree obtained in violation of the PEC rules by a non-engineer, revealed the sources in the HEC.

When Daily Times approached the HEC’s media wing through an email to have their point of view on this sort of irregularity it said “There should be a relevant background of engineering for seeking admission into the MS (Telecom Engineering, Electrical or Electronics Engineering) in Pakistan and the same is considered while awarding an equivalent”.

It further added that if an incumbent had a non engineering background then keeping in view the educational system of the respective country, the Higher Education Commission ensures that the university offers him/her deficiency courses at the time of enrollment and accordingly recognises the MS (Engineering) degree as equivalent to a Masters degree. Moreover, it is clearly mentioned in the equivalence letter that he/she needs to get an endorsement from the PEC for practicing the engineering profession.

As far as the case of Dr. Naqvi is concerned, he was awarded the equivalent of his foreign PhD vide letter No. 8-45/HEC/A&A/2017/44 dated February 2, 2017 by superseding its earlier letter on the same subject dated January 12, 2017, which is contrary to what the Higher Education Commission claims. The sources in the PEC confirmed the non-registration of Dr. Naqvi with the council as an engineer.

Furthermore, on the basis of HEC’s said letter, the IIU granted Dr. Naqvi PhD allowance of Rs 10,000 per month with effect from December 19, 2012.