KMU strictly adheres to zero-tolerance policy on harassment and plagiarism: Prof Zia ul Haq
PESHAWAR: Khyber Medical University (KMU) Peshawar has taken stern action against academic dishonesty by expelling Dr. Muhammad Ali, MPH scholar at the Institute of Public Health & Social Sciences, after it was proven that his MPH thesis involved plagiarism and fabricated data in violation of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) policy.
In addition to expulsion from KMU, the scholar has been barred from admission to any higher education institution for one year, and from availing any form of research funding, scholarships, travel grants, or fellowships for a period of two years. This decision was taken during the second meeting of the Institutional Quality Circle (IQC) Committee organized by KMU’s Quality Enhancement Cell and chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq stated that, despite the university providing maximum facilities and academic support, there will be no leniency or compromise on issues such as harassment and plagiarism. He emphasized that KMU strictly adheres to a zero-tolerance policy on such unethical and illegal practices.
Earlier in the meeting, heads of departments presented their progress reports on improving academic quality. Expressing satisfaction, the Vice Chancellor directed that any gaps or deficiencies must be immediately addressed in line with the standards set by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), and other relevant regulatory bodies.
A detailed discussion was held on the case of Dr. Muhammad Ali’s thesis. The committee thoroughly reviewed the contents of the thesis, statements from the supervisor and co-supervisor, the official report from Hayatabad Diabetes Hospital, and members’ comments.
The thesis claimed that from October 2024 to March 2025, a six-month cross-sectional study was conducted at Hayatabad Diabetes Hospital on the dietary habits of 373 diabetic patients aged between 5 and 59 years. However, the hospital officially clarified that no such study or data collection took place during this period. Furthermore, the hospital reported that type-1 diabetes patients at their facility are between 2 and 29 years of age, making the data presented in the thesis factually incorrect.
The supervisor also confirmed that the claims in the thesis were not supported by the hospital’s records. During further scrutiny, it was noted that the thesis mentioned 243 patients using insulin pumps, whereas the actual number of such patients in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is very low. The co-supervisor added that after the ASRB’s initial approval, the scholar did not maintain any contact regarding the research. During the proceedings, the scholar himself admitted that the data presented in the thesis was not collected from the said hospital but taken from publicly available data sources and presented as original research.
In light of these findings and under the HEC’s 2023 anti-plagiarism regulations, the committee recommended and approved severe disciplinary actions: expulsion from KMU, a one-year ban on admission to any higher education institution, and a two-year ban on research funding, scholarships, travel grants, and fellowships. The decision will also be communicated to all academic and research institutions. To monitor such matters, a Plagiarism Scrutiny Committee has also been formed, with Prof. Dr. Zili Huma, Director Academics, as Convener and Dr. Asiya Bukhari, Director QEC, as Member.
