Minister unseated by SC

The SC disqualified Balochistan Minster for Labour and Manpower for holding unsatisfactory educational qualifications.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday disqualified Balochistan’s Minster for Labour and Manpower Maulvi Muhammad Sarwar from his assembly seat for holding unsatisfactory educational qualifications. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, also ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold a by-election in the unseated minister’s constituency, PB-15, within 15 days.

A verification report by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) was submitted before the Chief Justice regarding Maulvi Sarwar’s degree, which stated that the minister’s educational qualification was unsatisfactory given that it is eligible only for teaching purposes, and not equivalent to a degree.

However, the minister’s counsel, Qazi Anwer, insisted that his client, after studying in a madrassa, also cleared two more subject exams – and therefore his qualification is equivalent to a graduation degree.

“He passed these two subjects after filing nomination papers, therefore they are not acceptable,” retorted the Chief Justice, who declared his notification vide and directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold by-elections within 15 days.

Later the chief justice disposed of the petition. Maulvi Muhammad Sarwar was elected from PB 15-Musakhail in the general elections of 2008.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2010.