Degree verification letter: CEC apologises to Chaudhry Nisar
The condition of holding a graduate degree was intact when the last general elections were held, but scrapped later.
File photo of the Chief Election Commissioner (retd) Fakharuddin G Ebrahim. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Chief Election Commissioner (retd) Fakharuddin G Ebrahim on Thursday telephoned the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to apologise on Thursday after the election commission came under fire in the National Assembly for carrying out what some described as a ‘witch-hunt’.
The chief election commissioner made the call in the wake of Nisar’s outrage over what he termed pre-poll politician-bashing by the election commission, referring to a letter sent to him by ECP to verify his educational qualification.
The CEC told The Express Tribune that he had contacted Nisar to appease him as he felt that the ECP official, who sent the letter, had used language which was not appropriate when writing to parliamentarians.
“It was a mistake on the part of our official therefore I felt the need to talk to Chaudhary Nisar. The matter is resolved now”, the CEC said. ECP has been in the process of verifying the educational credentials of lawmakers who won elections in 2008. The condition of holding a graduate degree was intact when the last general elections were held, but scrapped later.
The letter — reportedly also sent to 249 other legislators — had threatened lawmakers that their degrees would be treated as fake and criminal proceedings would be initiated against them if they failed to produce their matriculation and intermediate certificates.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2013.
Chief Election Commissioner (retd) Fakharuddin G Ebrahim on Thursday telephoned the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to apologise on Thursday after the election commission came under fire in the National Assembly for carrying out what some described as a ‘witch-hunt’.
The chief election commissioner made the call in the wake of Nisar’s outrage over what he termed pre-poll politician-bashing by the election commission, referring to a letter sent to him by ECP to verify his educational qualification.
The CEC told The Express Tribune that he had contacted Nisar to appease him as he felt that the ECP official, who sent the letter, had used language which was not appropriate when writing to parliamentarians.
“It was a mistake on the part of our official therefore I felt the need to talk to Chaudhary Nisar. The matter is resolved now”, the CEC said. ECP has been in the process of verifying the educational credentials of lawmakers who won elections in 2008. The condition of holding a graduate degree was intact when the last general elections were held, but scrapped later.
The letter — reportedly also sent to 249 other legislators — had threatened lawmakers that their degrees would be treated as fake and criminal proceedings would be initiated against them if they failed to produce their matriculation and intermediate certificates.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2013.