Appeal hearing: Aqil Shah, Badshah Qaisrani eligible to contest elections

They were arrested for holding fake degrees.

PESHAWAR: Former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) sports minister Syed Aqil Shah and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mir Badshah Qaisrani‘s appeal has been accepted, entitling them eligible to contest in the upcoming general elections, on Saturday, Express News reported.

He was arrested on April 4 after being proven guilty of possessing a fake degree and was fined along with a one year jail sentence.

Shah had appealed against his one year jail term sentence in the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

The case was prematurely adjourned, when Shah’s counsel asked permission to produce a PHC judgment which reportedly states only the unrecognised university should be held responsible for failing to meet the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) criteria for running a university.

However, in the light of the evidence, it was decided that Shah would not be disqualified.

On the other hand, Qisrani was alleged of holding fake degree. However, after the Election Tribunal hearing, the allegation was declared null and void and he was permitted to contest the elections.