NADRA DG’s dismissal highlights deeper crisis of fake degrees in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Director General (DG) of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Zulfiqar Ahmed, has been dismissed from service following the verification of a fake degree. 

According to media reports, investigations revealed discrepancies in academic credentials of Zulfiqar Ahmed, who had been serving as Sargodha Region DG.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC), upon NADRA’s request, conducted an inquiry that confirmed the discrepancies.

It was found during the investigations that the signature on his MBA degree was found to be of someone who was not the president of George Mason University when this degree was issued.

Additionally, Ahmed’s BBA degree bore the name of a college that did not match its official title during the degree’s issuance. 

Despite being served a show-cause notice, Ahmed failed to provide a satisfactory response to the allegations. 

Subsequently, NADRA Chairman took disciplinary action, citing a high court ruling and Ahmed’s inadequate explanation in the matter.

On November 28, Islamabad High Court dismissed a petition filed by Zulfiqar Ahmed, challenging the HEC decision to revoke his degree equivalence. 

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani issued a six-page written judgment, stating that the petition lacked merit. The court observed that Ahmed was given multiple opportunities to present arguments on the university’s report, which highlighted discrepancies in his degree. 

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The judgment noted that Ahmed received a negative report from the concerned American university on November 19. Following this, he withdrew his lawyer’s power of attorney, seemingly to delay proceedings. 

Fake degree scams have been a persistent challenge for Pakistan, tarnishing its education sector’s credibility. One of the most notorious cases surfaced in 2015 when the country was rocked by a massive fake degree scandal involving Axact. According to a a report in New York Times, over 3,000 individuals purchased fake degrees from Axact during 2013 and 2014. 

A similar scandal emerged in 2018 involving Sargodha University. According to a report in The News , the university allegedly sold degrees at low prices to thousands of students over several years. 

While these high-profile cases garnered significant attention, the issue runs much deeper. Across the country, countless small institutions—often operating out of shops in local neighborhoods — are engaged in selling fake and unregistered diplomas and technical education certificates.