Ahad Cheema declines Aitchison College fee waiver facility

Federal Minister Ahad Cheema on Tuesday declined to benefit from the Aitchison College fee waiver policy for his sons following resignation of Principal Michael Thompson, ARY News reported.

In a letter to Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman, Cheema refused to benefit from the policy, however, he said that Aitchison College Principal Michael Thompson had approached him personally regarding the matter.

The minister claimed that he was given several offers to sort out the matter regarding his sons’ fees, however, he declined to receive any “under-table deal.” Further, Cheema in his letter decried disrespect to his family in the whole fiasco.

He urged the Punjab governor to continue the fee waiver policy which according to him had greatly benefited the students.

While he refused to waive his sons’ fees, Cheema said that the policy would be beneficial to the students in the future.

Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Baligur Rehman urged Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to appoint permanent vice chancellors, registrars, treasurers and controllers examination in the top universities of the province.

In a letter to the chief minister, Governor Rehman said that the administrative positions have been filled by temporary officials who are running the educational institutes.

The Aitchison College fiasco began a day earlier after Principal Michael Thompson resigned from his post over alleged political interference by Ahad Cheema’s family.

Thompson stepped down from the post accusing the family of Cheema to force him to waive fees for the holidays.

The Aitchison College principal maintained that he denied the request for a fee waiver, but the Governor House Secretariat used its authority to issue a notification waiving the fee.

He informed the college staff in a letter that he would be leaving his position as principal on April 1 and that he would not be participating in any management or admissions activities.