K & P

Alleged fake degree: Election tribunal dismisses petition against JI MPA

PPP’s Sahibzada Sanaullah had challenged Behram Khan’s victory on PK-93, Upper Dir in 2008.

Our Correspondent June 03, 2014

The petitioner had stated in the election petition that the winning candidate, during the general elections held in 2008, had submitted a fake degree. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE

PESHAWAR:

An election tribunal on Tuesday dismissed an election petition challenging the victory of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) MPA Behram Khan on PK-93, Upper Dir-III, over charges of providing a fake degree with his nomination papers in the 2008 general elections.

Sardar Ali Raza, counsel for the MPA, told the tribunal his client won the 2013 general elections with a considerable margin. He further informed that the runner-up, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Sahibzada Sanaullah, challenged the victory of his client.

The petitioner had stated in the election petition that the winning candidate, during the general elections held in 2008, had submitted a fake degree with his nomination papers at the Election Commission of Pakistan. “My client has obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Malakand and that was verified by the university before filing the nomination papers in the general elections held in 2008. The respondent has not brought any evidence which could prove that the degree is not valid,” the counsel contended.

Upon hearing the arguments, tribunal judge Ziauddin Khattak announced an order dismissing the election petition against the sitting member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. There are 132,335 registered voters in the PK-93 constituency, of which 40,236 cast their vote in 2013. Of that number, 40,065 were considered valid and 1,345 were rejected, while the total turnout stood at 30.4%.

The JI candidate had secured 13,580 votes followed by 9,799 votes in favour of the PPP candidate. Behram is currently the chairman of the standing committee on finance and a member of the committees on administration, home and tribal affairs and communication and works.

Moreover, during the 2013 elections, reports had surfaced that candidates for the Upper Dir provincial assembly seat had agreed to bar women from voting.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2014.