ISLAMABAD: International Islamic University of Islamabad (IIUI) has often remained in news but for no good reason, as the university rocked by another controversy of the ‘fake cheque cash’ involving president of the University Staff Welfare Association (USWA), and high-ups of a bank.
Sources privy to the development told Pakistan Today that the USWA president cashed a cheque amounting Rs 360,000 allegedly through fraudulent way. The union leader, who is also exam assistant, on July 18, 2018, went to the bank to cash the checque. However, the bank officials objected to the signature of the USWA general secretary and refused to cash the cheque.
But the USWA president held out assurance to the bank manager and cashier that it was the signature of the general secretary, who is also assistant account and finance, and promised he would take him to the bank by the next day for confirmation of the signature. On the personal assurance and guarantee, the cashier cashed the cheque.
However, the next day, when Sardar Hussain, the general secretary, came to know about the issuance of a cheque through his fake signature, he went to the bank and refused to confirm the signature. Hussain informed the employees that a cheque of Rs 3600,000 was issued with his fake signature by the union president for the food expense for a ceremony.
The general secretary instantly filed an online complaint with all proofs to the bank that a cheque on his fake signature has been cleared by the bank officials. The sources said that taking notice on the complaint of the association general secretary, the bank’s head office on August 10 warned the bank manager and cashier to sort out the issue and later issued directives to release them from the services.
They said that the university administration interfered in the matter and sought three more days from the bank head office to find out negotiated settlement to the fiasco. However, they said that since the USWA president has a strong link with the university administration; hence no action has been taken, but put the jobs of the bank employees at stake.
Talking to Pakistan Today, IIUI spokesperson Nasir Fareed said that the university could not interference in the union’s internal issue. However, USWA spokesperson Muhammad Rafi said that the signature on the cheque was of the general secretary. However, he said that he (the general secretary) did it a bit change and they did not expect that he would refused to accept his signature.
He said that the cheque has been sent to the forensic lab to verify the signature and added that they would get the report within few days. Despite repeated attempts, the IIUI chief security officer could not be reached for his comments.