LAHORE – University of the Punjab has started an investigation against its faculty member allegedly involved in copying from an Indian professor’s research paper. The university has asked Safdar Ali Sherazi, the accused professor, to file his reply to allegations against him. Sources said the university administration had decided to adopt a zero policy on the issue and it would soon set up an inquiry committee to investigation academic corruption. The administration has asked PU Geography Department Head Dr Abdul Ghaffar to take notice of alleged plagiarism by his subordinate, and send his reply after finding out the facts.
Meanwhile, Sherazi returned on Tuesday the ‘Best Teacher Award’ after allegations that he won the award by tampering with the award certificate in 2002. Sherazi, who is an assistant professor in the university, copied from a Sikh professor’s research article about Indian Punjab’s climate and applied its findings to Pakistan’s climate. He also got published the plagiarized research paper in a research journal “Geographical Paper” of Karachi University (KU). Besides, he allegedly hacked into an email account of a fellow professor.
A senior PU official told Pakistan Today that the university administration had sprung into action and was trying to contact the Indian professor to find out the facts. He said the PU VC was very strict on the issue and was concerned at the involvement of a varsity professor in plagiarism. The university terminated from service former Applied Psychology chairman Mian Aftab who was proven guilty of plagiarism. The PU also took action against plagiarists in the Center for High Energy Physics .
