Hafiz Muhammad Shehbaz was dismissed by the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) from his role as the department chairman of Islamic Studies.
This response comes in response to grave accusations of hate speech against minorities and the disclosure of a PhD exam paper. Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nasir Hayat oversaw the UET syndicate meeting when the decision was taken.
Dr. Tanveer Qasim, who works in the same department, made the accusations. Shehbaz was charged by Dr. Qasim with spreading hate speech and disclosing a PhD exam paper.
The syndicate came to the conclusion that Shehbaz had engaged in misconduct based on the evidence that was provided, which included a video that had hate speech.
UET has given Dr. Shahid Rafiq, the head of the Natural Sciences department, the extra responsibilities of the chairman in reaction to the results. Shehbaz’s actions has previously been the subject of comprehensive reports requests from the Punjab Higher Education Commission and the Higher Education Department.
Shehbaz’s public remarks disparaging minorities were brought to light by Dr. Qasim’s petition, which alarmed the minority community. The subject at hand garnered extensive coverage in print and social media.
Prior to this, the leaked PhD test paper that appeared on social media was investigated by a UET investigation. The investigation suggested that the FIA cybercrime branch look into the matter in order to determine who is at fault.
A committee was established by UET to look into claims of paper leaks made during the PhD Islamic Studies admission exam. After his original protest to the dean in August 2021 was not addressed, Dr. Qasim filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Establishment in October of that same year.
The committee was constituted by UET VC Prof. Dr. Mansoor Sarwar on December 20, 2021, in accordance with a direction from the Higher Education Department.
In his petition, Dr. Qasim claimed that Dr. Shehbaz had made anti-minority remarks at events in public. The minority community became alarmed by this and demanded that the department head be held accountable. Print and social media outlets nationwide covered the story.
A UET inquiry report on a social media paper leak earlier suggested that the FIA’s cybercrime wing look into the issue to find out who was responsible. A two-person committee was established by the UET to look into the purported paper leak of the August 2021 entrance exam for PhD admissions in Islamic Studies.
Regarding the purported leak, Dr. Qasim has filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Establishment in October 2021. He claimed that despite sending an email in August 2021 to the relevant dean with a complaint, it went unanswered.
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