University of Panjab – anyone?

Quite a few parliamentarians have master’s and bachelor's degrees from an institution by the name of ‘University of Panjab’. Next thing we know, the rest will be from ‘Harward’ or ‘Priceton’. In that case, the majority of them will be qualified enough only to be disqualified. With allegations of fraud, if the disqualified have any sense of remorse, they should resign in the blink of an eye. Why wait for public humiliation?

Some of our parliamentarians are being questioned on the authenticity of their academic degrees. How disgraceful that we have sitting lawmakers, most of whom might turn out to be complete frauds. Quite a few have master’s and bachelors’ degrees from an institution by the name of ‘University of Panjab’. Next thing we know, the rest will be from ‘Harward’ or ‘Priceton’. In that case, the majority of them will be qualified enough only to be disqualified. The Higher Education Commission has said that it will need three months to verify degrees of lawmakers from PPP, PML-Q and PML-N. The Lahore High Court has disqualified quite a few MNAs already. One of whom is PML-N MNA Syed Javed Hasnain. He was elected from NA-68 Sargodha, with more than 80,000 votes. He needs to apologise to his 80,000 voters.

With allegations of fraud, if the disqualified have any sense of remorse, they should resign in the blink of an eye. Why wait for public humiliation? Maybe because when you reach a height of shamelessness and obstinacy, you wait for miracles to happen. And they do. Or at least they did in Jamshed Dasti’s case. He was given a ticket to contest the by-elections backed by the Prime Minister even though the Supreme Court had declared him ineligible over his fake degree.

General Stanley McChrystal made derogatory remarks about White house officials. His loyalty was questioned and he was fired. Remember Eliot Spitzer? The infamous New York governor? When he was caught using public funds to pay for the services of a call girl he apologised to the entire country and resigned. How do we compare this to producing fake degrees? Dishonesty, fraud and ill intentions. A flagrant crime, such as embezzlement of public funds, isn’t the only thing that makes you corrupt. Submission of incorrect information is equally bad. They’re both crimes. Just of a different nature. The punishment however, should be the same. Be fired or be prepared to resign.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26th, 2010.