News Desk |
In the latest development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had to face severe public backlash when it was disclosed that Shabam Gul, the elder sister of Zartaj Gul, Minister of State for Climate Change, has been appointed as Director of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). According to details Shabnam Gul is a Ph.D. scholar and currently working as an assistant professor at the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU). Local media alleged that Zartaj Gul misused her office to get her sister appointed. However, both the minister and NACTA immediately issued a clarification that nobody played any role in the appointment of the director.
NACTA's comprehensive clarification, blowing away the nonsense being peddled in a section of the local media regarding supposed breach of merit.
One cannot disenfranchise a deserving candidate just because they happen to be related to a Government Minister. pic.twitter.com/rgGBoxOju8
— Zartaj Gul Wazir (@zartajgulwazir) June 1, 2019
Zartaj Gul also defended her sister’s appointment in another tweet.
"نیکٹا" میں افسروں کی بھرتیاں ڈیپیوٹیشن کے زریعے ہی ہوتی ہیں۔ میری بہن انیس گریڈ کی تجربہ کار افسر ہے۔ ان کا پی ایچ ڈی تھیسس کلیئر ہو چکا ہے۔ تعیناتی اشتہار کے مطابق ہوئی۔تمام لوازمات پورے تھے۔ انسداد دہشت گردی میں ایم فل (MPhil) کیا ہوا ہے۔
ملک کی خدمت کرنے سے اسے نہیں روک سکتے۔ pic.twitter.com/A97aLDStL3— Zartaj Gul Wazir (@zartajgulwazir) June 1, 2019
But the matter became complicated when an official letter was shared on social media which suggested that Zartaj Gul not only spoke to the concerned department for the appointment of her sister but also issued formal instructions in this regard.
#ZartajGul disappointed us all. She must resign immediately coz she's not eligible for Ministry after this act of nepotism. #ResignZartajGul pic.twitter.com/xPJTsRrIaD
— Sehrish Malik (@Sehrishmaliks) June 2, 2019
After social media protested and demanded the resignation of Zartaj Gul, Prime Minister Imran Khan took the notice and directed her to withdraw the letter. Naeem ul Haque, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan, tweeted that “The PM has directed that Zartaj Gul shud withdraw her letter written to NACTA regarding the appointment of her sister. This was against the ethics of PTI which has always opposed nepotism. No one in the PTI govt is can promote their relatives/friends by using their positions.”
The PM has directed that Zartaj Gul shud withdraw her letter written to NACTA regarding the appointment of her sister. This was against the ethics of PTI which has always opposed nepotism. No one in the PTI govt is can promote their relatives/friends by using their positions.
— Naeem ul Haque (@naeemul_haque) June 2, 2019
A notification also confirmed that Shabnam Gul has not completed her PhD even after 9 years. She was enrolled as PhD candidate back in 2010.
Shabnum Gul’s notification from Lahore College for Women University which proves she still hasn’t completed her PhD. #ZartajGul
Note: The Univeristy is still trying to find out how I got hold of this notification. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/K6OASVUCoS
— Mansoor Ali Khan (@_Mansoor_Ali) June 2, 2019
But social media did not stop here. People demanded the resignation of the Minister of State and also to withdraw the notification of her sister’s appointment. On a technical point, Salman Masood point out that “Zartaj Gul can’t and won’t withdraw the letter to NACTA as she never addressed NACTA; she wrote the letter to Interior Secretary. Well played, Naeem Sb!”
Zartaj Gul can’t and won’t withdraw the letter to NACTA as she never addressed NACTA; she wrote the lettter to Interior Secretary. Well played, Naeem Sb! https://t.co/z2VTGGU2yO
— Salman Masood (@salmanmasood) June 2, 2019
Later on, the letter was withdrawn
— Naeem ul Haque (@naeemul_haque) June 2, 2019
People kept on saying that we voted for change, not for nepotism. “We gave vote to Imran Khan to shut down this nepotism culture but still his ministers learnt nothing from him. Imran should punish her and set example for others as well. PTI leadership should keep in mind that we are not dumb who will support your illegal actions,” said a Twitter user.
We gave vote to Imran Khan to shut down this nepotism culture but still his ministers learnt nothing from him. Imran should punish her and set example for others as well. PTI leadership should keep in mind that we are not dumb who will support your illegal actions.#ZartajGul
— Abdur Rehman 🇵🇰 (@abdur_rehman15) June 2, 2019
A social media user shared the CV of Shabnam Gul who has neither completed PhD nor got published any article in the relevant filed.
CV of Sisiter of @zartajgulwazir for those who want to know her.. see it in details. #ZartajGul pic.twitter.com/xeYdP7JRWp
— Javed Ghaffari (@javedghaffari) June 1, 2019
Moreover, Shabnam Gul allegedly plagiarized a thesis back in 2007 when she was a student in department of Kashmir studies. According to details, Saeed Asad, social welfare officer in the social welfare and women development department, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, that two researchers, Shabnam Gul and Andleeb Sabra of the Department of Kashmir Studies, University Oriental College, had allegedly plagiarized from his MA in Kashmiryat thesis titled, “K. H. Khursheed, life and services” and from his research paper “Political parties of Kashmir” in their joint plagiarised book titled: “Tarikh-i-Kashmir-1947 to date” published by Farooq Sons, Lahore, in 2006. After the allegations were proven against both students, the PU administration immediately disqualified both the researchers for any teaching job in future in the Punjab University. It also canceled the studentship of Shabnam Gul for M.Phil in Kashmiryat with immediate effect.
Read more: Accountability for all: Aleem Khan sent to jail
Zartaj Gul is yet to give her take after it has been proven that she wrote a letter and sent her sister’s resume besides speaking on phone with the concerned person.