Fake degree cases: Poll eligibility of ex-MPs hangs in the balance
HEC declares 54 lawmakers with fake degrees, 189 yet to be ascertained.
Fake degree cases of another 19 former legislators are pending with various courts. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The issue of fake degrees has cast a shadow over the political future of scores of former lawmakers as degrees of 54 of them have been declared fake and another 189 yet to be verified by the Higher Education Commission.
According to a report submitted by the HEC to election authorities scrutinising nomination papers of contestants, fake degree cases of another 19 former legislators are pending with various courts.
Having a graduation degree is no more a legal requirement, but anyone who is proved of having forged in the past stands disqualified to take part in elections.
HEC has forwarded a list of 54 lawmakers who it insists are holding fake degrees, include 18 former members of the Punjab Assembly, 14 former members of the National Assembly, seven members of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, six members of the Balochistan Assembly, five sitting members of the Senate and four former members of Sindh Assembly.
Some big names include former opposition leader and PML-N member Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Afrasiab Khattak, Bushra Gohar, Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, Samina Khalid Ghurki, and Tahira Aurangzaib.
As many as 54 legislators either have degrees fake or have acquired them from a non-chartered institution.
“From non-chartered university means institutes which were built in a garage and started issuing degrees,” said the HEC Chairperson Javaid Leghari.
The reportedly fake degrees include Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Business Administration or a degree from a madrassa which is not recognised by the HEC.
Some 189 legislators have not submitted matriculation or intermediate certificates or other equivalent certificates.
“Without complete documentation, we cannot proceed with further verification of degrees,” Leghari said while talking to The Express Tribune.
Of the list, some 19 legislators’ cases are under litigation in different courts.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2013.
The issue of fake degrees has cast a shadow over the political future of scores of former lawmakers as degrees of 54 of them have been declared fake and another 189 yet to be verified by the Higher Education Commission.
According to a report submitted by the HEC to election authorities scrutinising nomination papers of contestants, fake degree cases of another 19 former legislators are pending with various courts.
Having a graduation degree is no more a legal requirement, but anyone who is proved of having forged in the past stands disqualified to take part in elections.
HEC has forwarded a list of 54 lawmakers who it insists are holding fake degrees, include 18 former members of the Punjab Assembly, 14 former members of the National Assembly, seven members of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, six members of the Balochistan Assembly, five sitting members of the Senate and four former members of Sindh Assembly.
Some big names include former opposition leader and PML-N member Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Afrasiab Khattak, Bushra Gohar, Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, Samina Khalid Ghurki, and Tahira Aurangzaib.
As many as 54 legislators either have degrees fake or have acquired them from a non-chartered institution.
“From non-chartered university means institutes which were built in a garage and started issuing degrees,” said the HEC Chairperson Javaid Leghari.
The reportedly fake degrees include Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Business Administration or a degree from a madrassa which is not recognised by the HEC.
Some 189 legislators have not submitted matriculation or intermediate certificates or other equivalent certificates.
“Without complete documentation, we cannot proceed with further verification of degrees,” Leghari said while talking to The Express Tribune.
Of the list, some 19 legislators’ cases are under litigation in different courts.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2013.