Bogus degree: Election Commission’s reply sought

Petition filed by Jahangir stated that the respondent had contested the general elections from NA 138, Kasur, and won.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday sought a report from the Punjab Election Commission on a petition seeking disqualification of PML-N MNA Rao Mazhar Hayat from Kasur for having a bogus degree. The petition was filed by Arbab Jahangir, who stated that the respondent had contested the general elections from NA 138, Kasur, and won. At the time of filing nomination papers, he said, the respondent had submitted a BSc degree he said he had obtained from an American institute. He said after the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to verify degrees of parliamentarians, the respondent’s degree was not recognised by the institute. The petitioner said that the Election Commission also filed an FIR against Hayat, but had not issued a notification for his disqualification. The petitioner requested the court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan to issue the notification. Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh sought a reply from the commission in a month.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2012.