Ex-DRAP CEO Sheikh Akhtar arrested in fake PhD degree case

Former chief executive officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Sheikh Akhtar Hussain was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in a fake PhD degree case on Wednesday.

In a post on micro-blogging site X, the FIA confirmed the arrest of the former DRAP CEO.

“On the direction of anti-corruption circle Islamabad deputy director Afzal Khan Niazi, former CEO of the DRAP was arrested. Sheikh Akhtar Hussain got employment as CEO DRAP on the basis of a PhD degree that turned out to be fake,” it said.

The FIA's anti-corruption circle arrested Sheikh Akhtar following the cancellation of his bail in the case.

He had obtained a pre-arrest bail after a case was registered against him last month.

According to the content of the FIR, Hussain presented a dubious doctorate degree to get the CEO post of the country’s top drug regulator.

A copy of PhD degree of Sheikh Akhtar Hussain was sent to Interpol Colombo Sri Lanka for the purpose of verification, it said, adding Interpol Sri Lanka replied that "your request was forwarded to the University Grant Commission Sri Lanka and they have confirmed that so-called Open International University is neither a university established under any Act of Parliament nor recognised as University in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the said degree is fake".