Adil Najam
Today’s issue of The News has an extraordinary story written by the country’s leading investigative reporter Ansar Abassi that claims that the daughter of the sitting Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has been unfairly granted extra marks in her intermediate (F.Sc.) examinations through an illegal grading process. Enough extra marks to make her eligible for admission into a medical college.
I must say I am stumped by the story. There are few things that anger me more than blatant abuse of the education system. But there are also some aspects of the story that leave me wondering (if you are going to use corrupt means to get extra marks, why restrict it to just 21 marks? And, unless things have changed dramatically, neither 640 nor 661 marks in F.Sc. gets you into a medical college, at least not on merit). But, clearly, the story is something that Ansar Abassi has researched and The News is putting its reputation on the line for.
I may not even have posted the story had it not been for an editorial comment that was added by The News Editorial Board which is even more dramatic than the story itself. Whatever it says about the story, the note says much more about the state of uncertainty, unease, and lack of trust in institutions that define today’s Pakistan. Maybe it is best to read the note before the story:
WHEN the Editorial Board of the Jang Group decided after long and very intense discussions that we should publish the story of the special daughter, it was a difficult decision as there was immense pressure coming from all sides, including the movers and shakers of the God-gifted Republic of Pakistan and even some elements within our own house. That the people, at all levels, got involved in an otherwise straight story exposing blatant misuse of authority and position, was surprising. It was argued at senior and powerful levels that this story should not be published because it involved the career of a daughter, a young student who was trying to improve her chances of making her life more meaningful and productive. It was hammered on us that publication of one such case would not change the destiny or the prevalent system in the country. We were repeatedly reminded that authority is always used in the developing and the Third World countries in a similar manner and not much would change with this one episode, even if it is splashed on the pages of the print media. Attempts were made to emotionally blackmail us as it would ruin the life and career of a young and innocent lady.
We considered all these arguments before we decided to go ahead with the story. Our Editorial Board did not agree with most of these arguments, except the one that such misuse of authority is common in Banana Republics. We weighed the pros and cons and when it was clear to us that by unduly favouring the career of one young Pakistani, we would, by design, be ruining the careers of thousands of other similarly placed young boys and girls, not linked to powerful and mighty high-ups in our political or judicial systems, the verdict was unanimous: we must do our best to stop this injustice, we must throw the first stone and we must show the mirror to those who sit in judgment, deciding life and death matters every day, but when it comes to the future and careers of their own kith and kin, they behave like men of straw.
We believe that this one case of extraordinary favour to the special daughter of a top judicial person will make the rest of us feel belittled and slighted. We believe that the injustice done to hundreds and thousands of others who could not get such special treatment will be undone. We believe that someone somewhere will feel the guilt and come clean with the nation. We hope someone somewhere will resign and reinforce our belief that we can become a nation of honest people where justice can prevail. We hope all our daughters will become special.
Now for the story from Ansar Abassi:
ISLAMABAD: In what could become a mass denial of rights of thousands of students throughout the country, the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) Islamabad has illegally awarded extra marks and upgraded the examination results of the daughter of the country’s top judge.
In indecent haste and under direct written orders of the chairman FBISE, relaxing and violating all rules and even some judgments of the Supreme Court, the FSc result of student Farah Hameed Dogar was jacked up from 640 marks in Grade ‘C’ to 661 marks in Grade ‘B’, thus making her eligible to apply for admission into any medical college in the country.
Documentary evidence available with The News, background interviews and on the record discussions with concerned officials of the FBISE establish that the Islamabad Board went out of its way in the case of Farah Hameed Dogar by fast forwarding the entire process of re-checking, re-assessing and even re-marking her examination papers to her advantage and superceding thousands of other candidates who had obtained marks between 642 and 660.
Sources close to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, however, insisted that no influence was used by the chief justice in his daughter’s case and if the Board had taken some action, they must have done it under the rules or under powers vested with the Board’s chairman.
Documents show the chairman FBISE did all this in “relaxation of rules” but previous Supreme Court verdicts given in October 1995, January 1996 and November 2001, specifically prohibit such tampering with the examination system to benefit any candidate, however mighty or well placed. This cannot be allowed as the process of examination could not be sacrificed at the altar of expediency, the SC had noted in its judgment.
Experts of the system insist that the rules do not allow the chairman or any other authority to re-assess, re-examine or re-mark the already marked papers to increase the obtained marks. In fact according to a notification of the FBISE dated July 24, 2007 the candidates who wanted to improve their marks and grades had to retake the exams, in full or in part. Under this notification students were notified that the facility of improving grade/marks had been extended to the candidates by allowing them to appear in up to two subjects/papers of their choice and at the same time retaining the earlier policy of keeping the option open for the candidates to appear in Part-I or Part-II or in both the parts/entire examination within one year of passing relevant examination.
Interestingly, the candidate Farah Hameed Dogar, who had appeared in the FSc (pre-medical) final exam from the Islamabad College for Girls F-6/2, had applied for the “re-checking” of certain papers as allowed under the rules. Her papers were re-checked and only one mark was added to her total increasing it from 640 to 641.
But later the chairman ordered that her papers be re-assessed for which four examiners, who had checked her papers, were summoned and asked to do the marking all over again. This exercise gave her an extra 21 marks, placing her in Grade ‘B’ instead of ‘C’. Grade ‘B’, which starts with 60 per cent marks, is the pre-requisite to apply for an entry test in any medical college of Pakistan.
The official gazette of Higher Secondary School Certificate Part-II Examination Annual 2008 dated August 4, 2008, on page 350 clearly shows that Farah Hameed Dogar, Roll number 545207, the daughter of Mr Abdul Hameed Dogar, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, securing 640 marks in Grade C. On 20th August, the candidate formally applied for “re-checking” of four papers including English II, Urdu II, Pakistan Studies II and Physics II after depositing the mandatory Rs1,200 fee at the rate of Rs300 per paper. On August 29, she moved another application before FBISE for re-checking to add the subjects of Chemistry and Biology also. The bank receipt of Rs600 and result card (mark sheet) was also submitted along with the second application.
The application form on its back clearly mentions: “The answer book for a candidate in any examination shall not be re-assessed under any circumstances.” In case of re-checking, it adds: “The re-checking does not mean re-assessment or re-evaluation of the answer book.”
These instructions also clarify that the re-checking would only ensure that; a) there is no mistake in the grand total on the title page of the answer book; b) the total of various parts of a question has been correctly made at the end of each question; c) all totals have been correctly brought forward on the title page of the answer book; d) no portion of any answer has been left un-marked; e) total marks in the answer book tally with the marks sheet; and f) the hand writing of the candidate tally in the question/answer book.
On the very day when Farah Hameed Dogar submitted her application before the FBISE, the then chairman, Commodore (retd) Muhammad Sharif Shamshad wrote on the application form in his own handwriting: “I would like to see her answer books myself also.” His remarks on the file show he was personally interested in the case.
However, when contacted on Friday last and asked why he had taken such personal interest, the FBISE chairman could not remember the case at all. “I am telling you the truth,” he told The News. When pressed again and reminded that he made special remarks on the file displaying his keen interest, the retired commodore insisted that he could not re-collect if he had asked for re-assessment of examination papers in any case.
Normally the cases of re-checking, which are filed with the Board in thousands, are dealt by the concerned secrecy wing of the FBISE. Keeping in view that 30 Intermediate Boards conduct this exam at the same time throughout the country, addition of 21 marks means roughly one hundred thousand students may have been superceded by this one act.
But in the case of the CJ’s daughter, her six papers, as provided under the FBISE rules, were presented before a Re-checking Committee, which on August 30 recommended an increase of only one mark (01) to be added in the subject of Biology as the counting was originally not done correctly. In the case of Physics, Pakistan Studies, Chemistry, Urdu and English, the Committee noted ‘CFC’ (Checked and Found Correct) against each paper.
Then began the use of extraordinary authority. On September 10, 2008 Chairman of the Board, Commodore Shamshad wrote on the file: “Pl. have the answer books of this candidate re-assessed.” This was a clear violation of the FBISE rules but following the chairman’s written orders, the concerned officials complied and it was noted on the file: “Special arrangement may please be made, as directed by the chairman.”
The fast forward process set in. Examiners who had originally checked her papers were summoned and asked to re-mark the papers. The examiner of Biology wrote: “Re-checked and marks awarded are strictly according to the (original) marking scheme. However, in Q No 4, 01 mark has been increased due to error in total, which is now 12 out of 13. So the total marks are now 70 (seventy only).”
The examiner of Pak-Studies wrote: “Rechecked and marks awarded are found up to the mark and found according to the marking scheme. No more mark can be awarded.”The examiner of Chemistry wrote: “Paper rechecked and marks awarded are up to the mark and no more marks can be awarded.”
However, the documents reveal, that on September 13, the examiner of English paper Munir Hussain Anjum of F G College for Men, H-9 Islamabad, reassessed the paper and increased the marks from the previous 58 to 67; the examiner of Urdu paper Dr Ale-Azhaur Aanis of F G Sir Syed College Rawalpindi reassessed the paper and increased the marks from the previous 62 to 67; and the examiner of Physics paper Ejaz Ahmad in his re-assessment increased the marks from the previous 32 to the pre sent 38.
After this extraordinary addition of numbers after re-marking, the file moved upward from one desk to the higher desk and reached the chairman’s office for approval. The recommendation for the chairman was: “Due to above change, marks have been enhanced and result position will be of 661 marks instead of previous 640 marks. The case is forwarded for consideration marks and having approval of enhancement of marks from 640 to 661 in relaxation of existing rules (Vol-II) as directed, please.”
On September 15, 2008 the chairman signed his approval following which the revised mark sheet was issued to the candidate the same day on the instructions of the chairman.It was surprising that after all this effort, when the chairman was contacted by The News on Friday, he could not recollect anything.
The then controller Manzoor Ahmad, working under chairman Shamshad, who is still serving in the FBISE, when approached confirmed that the chairman had ordered the re-assessment of Farah Hameed Dogar’s papers. Ahmad confirmed that the rules do not allow any such re-assessment but he insisted that the orders of the competent authority were followed.
Acting Director Javed Iqbal Dogar, who according to a source, played an important role in facilitating the case, too denied that he knew anything about the case.
Though Mr Dogar claimed he had nothing to do with the case, a very reliable source said that he had been the conduit between some judicial high-ups and the then chairman of FBISE and took him to some important places in Islamabad.
The then deputy controller Tariq Pervaiz when approached also confirmed that there is no provision for re-assessment but said that it was done in the case of Farah Hameed Dogar on the orders of the chairman FBISE.
The concerned assistant controller Chaudhry Akhtar was reluctant to talk to this correspondent.Amongst the examiners, who enhanced Farah’s marks, Dr Ale Azhaur Aanis admitted that he did re-assess the Urdu paper after he was told to do so by the Board. He said that the chairman had passed an order in writing in this respect.
The other examiner Ejaz Ahmad of Physics when contacted said he does not remember any such case. The third examiner Munir Hussain Anjum was inaccessible.
The current chairperson of the FBISE, Miss Shaheen Khan, was too shy to talk to this correspondent.
As I said, I am stumped by the story. What should we make of this. Not only in terms of Justice Dogar, but in terms of us as a society?
Here is the update on the story from Ansar Abassi.
This one is not going to die.
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id =18710
CJ was in the know The untold story of a quiet talk with Dogar
Monday, December 01, 2008
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: The story of how the head of the countrys judicial pyramid, the chief justice of Pakistan, using the services of a key officer working for the prime minister, tried to influence and stop the embarrassing story of his daughters FSc marks from being published, needs to be told.
One quiet night, four days before this newspaper headlined the grave misuse of powers by the Federal Board of Islamabad, this correspondent was taken by the press secretary to the prime minister to meet the Chief Justice, Abdul Hameed Dogar, to his Islamabad residence, after I refused to oblige the press secretary and stop the story.
The PS argued for the CJ and I offered not to file the story if his facts were found correct. I said that I am even willing to talk to the chief justice on the issue. After I made this offer, he asked me to rush to the Prime Minister House immediately but later called me that we both would be meeting the chief justice at 9:15pm at the CJ House on Friday Nov 21. We met him and stayed with him for over two hours.
There was no understanding, no mention at all that our discussion will be off the record or would not be published. As a journalist, I have to follow the rule that if anything is declared off the record it cannot be repeated. The meeting was never described as such otherwise I would not have agreed.
During the meeting the chief justice once stated that his statement about a brother judge should not be printed. The press secretary to the PM also requested twice or thrice that his narrations about the PMs office were off the record. I would honour their wishes.
But for quite some time the top judge of the country pathetically pleaded that the story be not published. He did so in many ways, sometimes offering hands of friendship, sometimes describing the emotional state of mind of the innocent daughter who had been caught in the middle of this episode, at times asking me not to use the story because it would malign him, at others saying it was a question of just 20 marks, which according to him were of no consequence, at times saying that it was not a question of increasing 200 or 300 marks.
The press secretary to the PM even at times appeared threatening, as if warning me of consequences if I went ahead with the story. But to be fair to him most of the time he offered goodies, sort of professional bribes like better stories and scoops, if I agreed to cooperate. But he too made it clear that if the story is filed, he would stop respecting me.
Press Secretary Zahid Bashir also categorically said that in case the story is filed neither the government would take action against the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) nor would the Supreme Court take suo moto notice of this case.
I remember very sharply that the chief justice was very worried about his reputation and his image. Will the story not mention my name or that of my daughter, he repeatedly asked. At the time of this meeting with The News Farah Hameed Dogar had already secured her admission in Islamic Medical College against a one-seat quota for judges and employees of all courts of Pakistan. However, the top judge of the country told this correspondent that his daughter was looking for admission in BBA.
The chief justice also insisted that what the chairman FBISE did in case of his daughter was allowed under the rules and that there was no violation of rules involved in the case. The chief justice insisted that the re-assessment of papers is allowed though the FBISE rules categorically say: The answer book of a candidate in any examination shall not be re-assessed under any circumstances.
The chief justice denied that he had used his influence on the Board in case of his daughter, but admitted that he knew two persons, also with the last name of Dogar, serving in the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. One of them Acting Director of the Federal Board Javed Iqbal Dogar is alleged to have played an important role of a facilitator.
The chief justice admitted that Javed Dogar has been visiting him. He also admitted that his staff in the Supreme Court was also involved in processing his daughters case. My daughter is intelligent with the grace of Almighty Allah, he said, adding that she had complained that she was deliberately given less marks following which the application was filed with the FBISE, which increased 20 marks thus taking her total from 640 to 661.
When asked that re-assessment is not allowed but was done in case of his daughter, he said, I have seen the rules, which gives the chairman Board the authority to re-assess the answer sheets. They (FBISE) have done this perfectly according to the rules, the chief justice maintained, adding: What benefit have we got with these 20 marks?
He said if there had been an increase of 200 to 300 marks then you would have been in a position to say that we had benefited from such an increase. He said after his daughter applied for the re-checking, the Board proceeded in line with the valid laid down procedures.
When asked what his daughter was doing then, he responded: We are just sitting. She would be pursuing degrees like BBA.When told that the additional 20 marks had improved her grade from C to B thus enabling her to qualify for a medical college entry test, he said that by improving the grade his daughter could only sit in the entry exam but would not come on the merit.
But when told that the rules categorically say that there shall be no re-assessment under any circumstances and that it was the Board which had violated these rules to favour his daughter, he said: But it would malign my name.
Later the CJ again said that the re-assessment is allowed but added, at the same time, that we (the courts) also issue orders for re-assessment. The press secretary said the Supreme Court of Pakistan can do anything and that there is no challenge to the Supreme Court.
Zahid Bashir also said that pursuing the Farah Dogars story would be like character assassination of an innocent daughter. He advised this correspondent to do stories of national importance.
When the chief justice was asked to explain as to why the Board only did the re-assessment of his daughters answer sheets while there were more than 1,000 students who had applied for re-checking with the FBISE. The CJ said that there are several judgments of the Supreme Court that had ordered for re-assessment.
While this correspondent was trying to explain the difference between the validly allowed re-checking and the barred re-assessment, the press secretary suggested to the chief justice to do one more favour: Get a petition filed and pass an order in favour of re-assessment if the applications are found on merit.
When the chief justice was briefed in detail as to how did the Board extraordinarily dealt with his daughters application for re-checking but ended up re-assessing her answer sheets in violation of the Board rules, he said: Did they write any reason for this.
He was told: No reason was mentioned. Later when the chief justice was told that Javed Dogar, who serves in the Board, is said to have played important role in the out of the way facilitation of his daughters case, he admitted that he knew Javed Dogar.
The CJ also revealed that besides Javed Dogar, he also knows one Ibrahim Dogar, who too serves in the FBISE as a driver. He, however, said that Javed Dogar never brought the then chairman FBISE to his house. He said he knows almost all Dogars but denied to have ever interacted with the then chairman FBISE.
When told that there are reports that the chairman favoured his daughter only to secure further extension for himself, he said: I never met him. The allegation of favour had been justified if the man had been given an extension.
Zahid Bashir also endorsed the CJs statement and wondered how difficult it is for the CJ to get such an extension. He said the government would have done it within no time had the CJ been interested. I would have asked Saeen, the CJ said while pointing at Zahid Bashir.
After extended discussion when I told the chief justice that the story would be filed against the Board, it was Zahid Bashir, who first reacted and asked: Tell me if you are filing the story. The CJ followed by saying, Just leave it. We are friends now.
Zahid Bashir said in case the story goes for print he would never call me but the CJ said, Listen, if the story is published it would carry my name.When I said let me chew on it, the CJ said no, leave it now. Zahid Bashir said that I should respond positively to the CJ offer and get some other stories from the Supreme Court otherwise I would get nothing.
When told that the story is against the Board, the press secretary said that who would take action against the Board. We (government) have to take the action but would never proceed against the Board let me tell you right now.
When I told him that the Supreme Court might take action into this case, he again said that the Supreme Court too would not take any action. Zahid Bashir asked me not to be so harsh and rigid.
At one stage the CJ told me to extend hand of friendship to him as he is not a hidden man while Zahid Bashir offered, If you want to write, I will give you the stories. Referring to Farah Dogar story, he said, it has no substance, it is of no value, it will not change the history of Pakistan rather be seen as blackmailing as it involves an innocent persons daughter.
He said people would not have good feeling about this and added that the chief justice is doing a job and is offering me to visit his office and will give me constructive things to write.Look he is Chief Justice of Pakistan, why would he call you, the press secretary said, reminding me that without CJs consent I would not be allowed to enter the premises of the Supreme Court.At this point, the CJ again invited me to visit his office while Bashir remarked: He is inviting you. It is an honour for you.
Here is the newest twist in the CJ’s daughter’s admission saga:
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id =18700
The Al Meezan Foundation on Saturday gave a new twist to the ongoing controversy about the marks awarded to the daughter of Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar by stating that she had been recommended for admission because she represented Sindh province and it was the turn of that province to get the quota this year.
The statement from Al Meezan came after residents of the Judges Enclave, where the top judges of the Supreme Court reside, reported to The News that the Secretary of the foundation, Talat Lone, had gone inside the residence of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and remained there for several hours.
A correspondent of The News waited for comments of Mr Lone the whole day in the Al Meezans office, after the controversy about jacking up the marks of Farah Hameed Dogar broke out, but, despite present in the office, Mr Lone did not meet the correspondent or give his version of the story, until the press release issued on Saturday.
The secretary Al Meezan Foundation issued the clarification when reports were published that another aggrieved student, Ms Misbah Mustafa d/o Justice Ghulam Mustafa, Honble Judge of the AJK High Court, had been denied admission to the Islamic International Medical College due to selection of Farah Hameed Dogar on recommendation of the of the Al Meezan Foundation.
The Meezan Press release said: The AJK High Court is not a beneficiary under Part 1 of Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of Al Meezan Foundation registered under Society Registration Act No XXI of 1860. According to rules of Foundation the beneficiaries are those who served in superior judiciary of Pakistan and who had served or are serving in subordinate judiciary in provinces of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, NWFP and in establishment of Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court, High Court of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, NWFP and Courts subordinates of the aforesaid Courts.
It is further clarified that quota selection through Al Meezan Foundation is awarded through province-wise on turn basis, and now it is turn of the Sindh province on which Ms Farah Hameed Dogar was selected and it is clear that she is totally on merit with respect to her province.
Moreover, the Islamic International Medical College is an institution imparting medical education in private sector and not as institution of the public sector. Being a lessee, the college has entered into a private arrangement with Al Meezan Foundation which is a private body for welfare of the Honble judges and court employees of courts established under the constitution.
The clarification says that AJK students, according to a rule of the Foundation association, were not eligible to apply for Al Meezan scholarship. This clarification came after the reported sighting of Mr Lone in the Judges Colony despite the fact that The News was trying to approach and contact Talat Lone for the last ten days.
Several students approached The News and explained that their rights had been denied because of Farah Hameed Dogar.
Mr Lone is still not ready to provide the media with the details of the students who applied for the said scholarship. In fact some other students from Sindh had also applied but Mr Lone has not given any details about them.
totally agreed by doing all this we fool ourselves and not anyone else.we should be wise to our inner self and think. im sure if his daughter reads all this she would be gulity enough to confess this sin.
we should be optimistic and think on a brighter side all ways but on the cost of fooling our selves. The minute we stop fooling ourselves and do what we deserve only Pakistan will be a beeter place to live in ……..
For Mr. Shiraz.
What a silly statement. You want action without information? Really?
And why are YOU spending your time on the internet when you don’t want others to?
And, I guess from your comments YOU are going to court with this and all the other ‘important’ issues that you are so worried about? right?
People may have lots to say against our education system but I think it is’nt that bad, If system is good enough to generate professional’s getting jobs and working in competitive overseas markets than system can’t be all that bad, because it would have created poor products (professionals) if it ran only in favor of privileged people.
I for my part remember that in Lahore board score can only be improved by retaking the exam and rechecking only means checking the marks being summed up correctly or not.
If the supreme judge can so blatantly break the laws how could he expect nation to follow law and regulations.
In my opinion there might be many social, economic, political problems with pakistan but the cure of all these problems lie just only in supremacy of law, the day some people stop being more equal than the others, we will see a major shift in our nation’s psychology and pakistan will take its first step towards progress.
Here no body hesitates in manipulation, violating, bending laws because they see higher ups being pardoned for their wrongs and this message trickles down to the masses, that unlike a powerful man they may not be pardoned the murder but at least they can break the lane rules on the road.
I hope the imposed CJ takes considers his own misconduct and relieve us of his services.
“But lets look at the bright side. We have added a new candidate for a female doctor, who are in very short supply in the country.”
Faraz, I know you were trying to be funny, but this is actually not true. These days there are significantly more women than men enrolled in Pakistani medical schools. This has given birth to a new problem since a very significant portion of them are not allowed to work once they get married, etc, leaving us with a ticking health-care problem.