The Sindh government has suspended three officials of the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) and issued a show-cause notice to a senior officer following the detection of serious irregularities, malpractice and alleged corruption in examination processes.
According to a notification issued by the Universities and Boards Department on April 21, the action was taken after numerous complaints and corroborated media reports regarding irregularities in examination matters, including fixing centres and subsequent changes.
The provincial minister for universities and boards conducted surprise inspections of examination centres in Karachi, during which multiple instances of malpractice and misconduct were observed, documented and reported.
The notification stated that the alleged acts prima facie constitute gross misconduct, negligence and violations of relevant laws, warranting immediate disciplinary proceedings.
Those placed under suspension for an initial period of three months are Assistant Controller of Examinations Shaikh Muhammad Tariq Karim, Research Associate Mehboob Ahmed Jafri, and Data Entry Operator Syed Ali Haider Kazmi. During the suspension period, they will report to the Universities and Boards Department and will receive pay and allowances as per rules.
Separately, a show-cause notice has been issued to Deputy Controller of Examinations Imran Tariq, who is already under suspension. The notice states that he was allegedly involved in examination irregularities, malpractice and corruption, and had remained engaged in such activities despite being under suspension.
It further noted that he had earlier been suspended in connection with alleged forgery and corruption in the 2023-24 annual examinations, a matter currently under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Establishment.
The officer has been directed to submit a written reply within 14 days explaining why a major penalty, including dismissal from service, should not be imposed. He has also been given the option to request a personal hearing. In case of failure to respond within the stipulated time, the case will be decided ex parte on the basis of available record.
