Kumar, who held one of the assembly seats reserved for minorities, was also handed down a Rs15,000 fine and one-year imprisonment by District and Sessions Judge DI Khan Akhunzada Shahjahan. He contested the 2008 general elections with a ticket from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazlur Rehman.
Police arrested the MPA from the courtroom and took him to DI Khan Central Jail. Kumar has been charged under sections of 199, 200 and 471 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Speaking to journalists outside the court, Kumar denied that his degree was fake and said that he will be moving the Peshawar High Court to challenge the district court’s decision.
Kishore Kumar, while talking to media persons outside the court room denied to have produced a fake degree and informed that he would move to the high court to challenge decision of the district court.
“Kumar’s BA degree is certified and bears the signature of the examinations controller at DI Khan’s Gomal University. There is no evidence that his degree is fake,” Salimullah Rana Zia, Kumar’s counsel, told The Express Tribune. The degree bears the roll number 1195 and claims Kumar sat the annual exams in 1999.
The case was referred to the district and sessions court by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Ajith Bahadar from the Aqliati Rabta Party, who had lost against Kumar in 2008, challenged the degree.
COMMENTS (22)
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@Sajid: Every party has seats reserved for minority and women, depending on the number of their seats in the Provincial and National Assemblies. For women, usually the parties nominate their own daughters or relatives, and for minorities it is for funds contributed or other services rendered. It is almost never for distinction or achievements, or you would have seen the likes of former Justice Rana Bhagwandas or the gold medalist athlete Naseem Hameed in the parliament.
@Usman Shahid: I don't think so.. If you have the right qualification and grades, you can easily get into any foreign university
What is 15thousand fine for a person like him. He should have fined more...These people are ruining image of whole pakistan..
Mohsin> Rinki got justice, what do you want!
And what about the benefits he enjoyed being honourble member of the Assembly?
Even here a minority is punished first. what about those MNAs who are muslims and who have fake degrees which Pak election commission is seized off.
Jamshed Dasti and Baber Awan were spared because they referred the clause 420 of constitution namely "Degree degree hoti hai, asli ho ya jaali"
seems like justice is now only left for minorities.. you must be kidding me.. there are hundreds of politicians out there with fake degrees, why were they not sentenced??
I'm happy with the sentence, but would love to see others also behind the bars.
what about (Dr) Baber Awan and other big guns.
"A degree is a degree - whether geniune or fake".
"CM Baluchistan"
Does this not seem discriminatory? If those whose degrees were found to be fake were not imprisonment and only disqualified from contesting elections then why is this not applied on the above mentioned MPA? Another issue to create an uproar among the minorities there in KPK. Either imprison all those whose degrees were fake or in case of Kishore Kumar, only disqualify him and serves the ends of justice.
@Hassan: Actually I am not surprised. In Pakistan there is every law to convict and punish people from minority but none to protect them. Remember Rinkle Kumari? Our judiciary actively punishes them but reluctantly protects them.
lol... a new "MINISTER" in the making!!!
More importantly what about all the other esteemed politicians guilty of the same type of fraud?? Does it not strike anybody as mildly suspicious that the ONLY person facing the music for fake degrees is a minority MP?
He should have been sent behind bars for atleast 5 years and debarred from holding any public office.
Justice has been served
Good, but what about the high profile politicians who have fake degrees? I think everyone knows who I talking about? I urge the Supreme Court to take Suo Moto notice of my comment. Thanks.
...... and what about his seat....
Only 1 year imprisonment and 15,000 rupees fine for fake degree.:( This is the reason, we face problem in getting admission in foreign universities even with genuine degrees.
The same action MUST be taken against non minority MPAs & MNAs who submitted fake degrees......justice must be equally served...
Kumar from Jamiat e Ulma e Islam? I am sorry, what?
good one but wat about the rest of the Memebrs who have fake degree & why those were not sentenced. I think law is only for those who are not enough strong oterwise we know how our system works. Seem this guy have no link at the inner circles of the powerful & corrupt personnel.