ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has alerted students and faculty members about false information being circulated by anti-education groups through WhatsApp and social media forums. Students are advised to verify HEC-related information from its website www.hec.gov.pk

HEC has clarified that contrary to some news report, the HEC website has not been hacked. The fake information consists simply of crude photoshop images designed by some persons pushing anti-education agendas and circulated by them through their WhatsApp and social media links. These images pretend to be screenshots of the HEC website, but are just manipulations of other downloaded content from the website. They pertain to a variety of topics, but their common aim is to advocate a lowering of educational standards in Pakistan, e.g., by canceling exams, canceling all educational activities including online education, or disrupting admissions or scholarship processes.

While there have been cyber-attacks on the HEC website, which appear have originated from servers outside the country, HEC technical teams have been working round the clock to ward off these attacks.

Students, academic and research community as well as public, availing or inquiring about HEC programmes and services, are requested to exercise vigilance and trust no other resource except the HEC website, and authentic social media pages that are linked to it. Should they need any confirmation, it is advised to reach out to the respective focal person of HEC.

All these activities have also been reported to the cybercrime unit of the Federal Investigation Agency.