PPP MNA resigns over fake degree issue

ISLAMABAD: PPP MNA Amir Yar Warn, one of several parliamentarians involved in fake degree cases, resigned from his seat on Thursday.

Sources said PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza have accepted his resignation.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing a fake degree case against Amir Yar Warn.

The MNA won the election from NA-184 as an independent candidate and later joined the PPP. The Election Commission is expected to announce by-elections on the vacated seat.

Meanwhile, PPP leader Sardar Asif Ahmed, while speaking to the media, said the courts should focus on other issues of more significance rather than taking up fake degrees cases.

There have been many cases of parliamentarians being disqualified for holding fake degrees in the past. Following much uproar, the HEC sent out 452 parliamentarians’ degrees for verification to relevant universities across the country.

The Punjab University has received 314 degrees in this connection. The University's Registrar, Dr Naeem, said a committee has been formed to verify these degrees.

Similarly, the Karachi University has received 120 degrees which are being verified by a three-member committee headed by Dr Nasirud Din Khan.

Authorities of the Bahauddin Zakriya University in Multan and Islamia University in Bahawalpur have also been asked to verify 69 degrees of parliamentarians.