Humayun Aziz Kurdnow faces a one-year sentence and a Rs5,000 fine. . PHOTO: FILE
District courts and police across the country swung into action on Tuesday, awarding sentences and arresting former lawmakers and aspiring electoral candidates alike for submitting fake degrees and dual nationalities.
On Monday, the Supreme Court had ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and courts across the country to ‘ruthlessly scrutinise’ all contestants and also take action against former lawmakers with fake degrees and dual nationalities by April 5.
Fake degrees
Former federal minister and member of the National Assembly from Balochistan Mir Humayun Aziz Kurd became the first victim of this scrutiny when he was arrested on Tuesday for submitting a fake degree. He now faces a one-year sentence and a Rs5,000 fine.
The Sibi District and Sessions Court handed down the sentence to Kurd, who was arrested soon afterwards.
Addressing the media after his arrest, Kurd said that he would approach the high court to appeal the decision.
Kurd had won a seat in the National Assembly from NA 267 Kachhi-Jhal Magsi in 2008, and intended to run from the same constituency this time around as well.
According to the ECP, his BBA in Marketing from the Eire International University is invalid, since it is from a non-chartered university.
Another former Balochistan MNA, Syed Nasir Shah, was declared an absconder by the district and sessions court in Quetta, after he repeatedly failed to appear before it.
The court also issued an arrest warrant against Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam MNA Maulvi Rozuddin. The court was hearing fake degree cases against both former MNAs.
Meanwhile, Khalifa Abdul Qayyum, a former member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, was sentenced to three years in prison and fined Rs5,000 for having a fake degree.
The sentence was awarded by Dera Ismail Khan additional district and sessions Judge Hayath Khan. Following the court’s order, police arrested Qayyum and sent him to the district central prison.
Qayyum was elected as an independent candidate from PK-64 DI Khan-1 in 2008, and had submitted his nomination for the upcoming polls as well. He was planning on running from NA-24 and PK-64 Dera Ismail khan on the ticket of the Muttahida Dini Mahaz.
Meanwhile, a District and Sessions Court is expected to announce its judgment in the case against former member of the National Assembly Jamshed Dasti, who has also been accused of possessing a fake degree. Tuesday’s hearing of the case was postponed till today (Wednesday) on the request of Dasti’s counsel.
The former MNA’s lawyer earlier submitted Dasti’s degree and a certificate issued by Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, Dasti said that he was satisfied with the proceeding and was sure the court will acquit him.
The ECP’s counsel, Aurangzeb baloch, however, alleged that Dasti was misleading the court by presenting a certificate from Sardarul Madaris, which is not authorised to issue certificates in religious studies.
Dual nationality cases
Leader of the Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP) Javed Khan Tarakai, also a former MPA of the K-P Assembly, was sentenced to a year in prison for possessing dual nationality. Tarakai is also a Canadian national.
The District and Sessions Court in Swabi sentenced Tarakai to prison for one year and fined him Rs5,000.
Tarakai was elected as an MPA from PK-32 in the 2008 elections as an independent candidate. He did not submit his application for the 2013 elections because of the proceedings against him.
Meanwhile, a district and sessions court in Lahore summoned on Tuesday witnesses in dual nationality cases against former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid MNA Begum Shahnaz Sheikh and former PML-Nawaz MPA Rana Asif Mehmood.
The court also summoned witnesses in another case against Shahnaz Sheikh in which she has been accused of tampering with official documents of the ECP and providing them to the court as evidence.
Meanwhile, the court also summoned another former lawmaker, Syeda Majid Zaidi, by April 4. She is has been accused of submitting a fake degree to the ECP.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (26)
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Alaas...!!
Good goin chief justice..
Well, Now atleast we can think of making a new and different pakistan .
@ Iram Before revealing your personal grudge against the leadership of PML, please take some time to read the list of beneficiaries mentioned in the Supreme Court's judgement. This judgement is available on the website of SCP:
http://www.supremecourt.gov.pk/web/user_files/File/H.R.C.19of1996[AsgharKhanCase]DetailedReasons.pdf
The largest political payoff was to Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, now President PTI. Other beneficiaries include Colonel (Retd) Ghulam Sarwar Cheema of PTI MQM's AltafHussain and Afaq Ahmed were also the beneficiaries!
Good to see due treatment but wish to see same treatment with malefactors of Asghar Khan case or rule of law is just for the few people not for elite like Nwaz and Shahbaz.
@ Zia,
Your comments are very valid.
I guess now the knot is getting tighter around these politicians, I wont be surprised if I hear more like this:
1. Yousaf Raza is on the edge in Hajj Corruption, NICL and CNG license Case. 2. Amin Fahim name is also being included in the NICL case. 3. Fake degree case of 189 parliamentarians.
I would request Chief Justice to decide on all the pending cases of this Corrupt government, we are with you.
Thanks chief justice. Its you that are treating corrupt and frauds iron handedly otherwise all other departments are doing favohr to them
Kindly also check the degree of our president
The revolution in making..
The is called change..
Wait what?! Why are foreign nationals being arrested?? Is there a new law that says that previous lawmakers who were foreign nationals can now be arrested? What nonsense is that?
However kudos to the courts and police for ACTUALLY doing their job arresting these people. Those with fake degrees especially need to be put behind bars.
Bravo CJ
What about Rehman Malik? He holds British nationality.
More power to the judiciary. We need reforms. We need Pakistan free of corruption.
The ECP’s counsel, Aurangzeb baloch, however, alleged that Dasti was misleading the court by presenting a certificate from Sardarul Madaris, which is not authorised to issue certificates in religious studies.
What a country!! If a unauthorized university, or a madrisa is awarding certificates, it is consumer fraud by the institution not the candidate. Courts should go after the fraudulent institutions, instead of victimizing the victims.
According to the ECP, his BBA in Marketing from the Eire International University is invalid, since it is from a non-chartered university.
Courts, and ECP are making a sickening joke of the law. How is BBA in Marketing from the Eire International University invalid? Like it or not, it is still a BBA from the Eire university. Being recognized by HEC or not is a different story. There is no element of fraud, or lie.
put them on ECL first. why different punishments for same crime ie some getting 1, 3 and 9 years term.
So proud of the courts in Pakistan. This is a massive step forward, as it will clean the space for honest and qualified men and women who want to represent their country and take us forward.
And terrorists are freed with honour from same courts for not having 'enough proof'.This is duplicity.
One year sentence and Rs 5000 only for enjoying 5 years in power. Should should be 5 years in jail and refund of all financial gains plus fine!
1)what about CM-Punjab Najam sethi who does not meet article 62? admitted himself- When aex will fall on him 2) Mushraf contesting polls ? 3
Good riddance. We've got enough honest Pakistanis to lead us and don't need these frauds as our representatives
Mmm, justice, it sure does smell good. We better get used to it because it is the demand of the public, no more apologising for criminal activities. I'm surprised Asma Jehangir hasn't rushed to the MNA's side to defend democracy yet.
I want to see all the old Pakistani politicians behind the bars. All of them are traitors. A pleasant wave of change is heading Pakistan this Summer. Long Live Pakistan!
Excellent!!!
It seems that things are just beginning to get interesting for upcoming elections.
Thank God...it will definitely act as a medicine to heal the wounded nation...:)
Salute to Chief Justice ..:)