Fake degree: Sarwar’s interim bail extended

Anti-Corruption Establishment had found him guilty.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Thursday extended the interim bail of former minister for overseas Pakistanis Ghulam Sarwar till February 20. He is accused of contesting elections by presenting a university degree obtained using a fake secondary school certificate.

A law officer told the court that an FIR had been registered against Sarwar on the Election Commission’s directive. He said the Anti-Corruption Establishment had completed its investigation and had found him guilty. He said Sarwar had failed the practical exam for a diploma but obtained an NOC through his connections in the Punjab Board of Technical Education. He said Sarwar had attached the same NOC to a form for his BA admission. Sarwar’s attorney said the PBTE did not have the authority to cancel a diploma. He said his client had been twice elected member of the parliament tice on the basis of that certificate.

ACE reported that Sarwar had obtained a duplicate diploma that had actually been issued to another candidate of the same name. Their fathers’ names were however different. The ACE then filed a case against Sarwar, the former chairman of the Punjab Board of Technical Education, its secretary and two other officials for issuing the duplicate diploma.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2014.