Tardy proceedings: ECP, HEC on notice over fake degrees
HEC list names 54 parliamentarians with fake degrees; 189 verification cases remain pending.
HEC list names 54 parliamentarians with fake degrees; 189 verification cases remain pending. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took notice on Saturday of a news report regarding a Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) list of parliamentarians allegedly holding fake degrees.
The media report said that the HEC sent a letter to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with a verified list of 54 parliament members holding fake degrees on March 27.
According to a press release, the letter also mentions that around 189 cases of verification remain pending for the last two and a half years, despite repeated calls by the ECP to the legislators for submission of documents. The HEC also mentioned that in another letter released on February 2, the ECP had warned that failure of submission of degree certificates within 15 days will result in initiation of criminal proceedings against the lawmakers.
The chief justice ordered issuance of notices to the ECP through its secretary and the chairman of HEC to appear before court on April 1, to provide explanation for not taking swift action against the fake degree holders.
Referring to a previous judgment in the case of Muhammad Rizwan Gill versus Nadia Aziz, the chief justice said, “The Election Commission shall ensure that the investigations in these matters are conducted honestly, efficiently and expeditiously and shall depute one of its senior officers to supervise the probe.”
The judgment also mentions that the session judge to whom the trial is entrusted should conclude the trial within three months.
Currently 19 parliamentarians are undergoing litigation for verification of their degrees, said the press release.
The list can be viewed here.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2013.
The Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took notice on Saturday of a news report regarding a Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) list of parliamentarians allegedly holding fake degrees.
The media report said that the HEC sent a letter to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with a verified list of 54 parliament members holding fake degrees on March 27.
According to a press release, the letter also mentions that around 189 cases of verification remain pending for the last two and a half years, despite repeated calls by the ECP to the legislators for submission of documents. The HEC also mentioned that in another letter released on February 2, the ECP had warned that failure of submission of degree certificates within 15 days will result in initiation of criminal proceedings against the lawmakers.
The chief justice ordered issuance of notices to the ECP through its secretary and the chairman of HEC to appear before court on April 1, to provide explanation for not taking swift action against the fake degree holders.
Referring to a previous judgment in the case of Muhammad Rizwan Gill versus Nadia Aziz, the chief justice said, “The Election Commission shall ensure that the investigations in these matters are conducted honestly, efficiently and expeditiously and shall depute one of its senior officers to supervise the probe.”
The judgment also mentions that the session judge to whom the trial is entrusted should conclude the trial within three months.
Currently 19 parliamentarians are undergoing litigation for verification of their degrees, said the press release.
The list can be viewed here.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2013.