A difference of a degree: PTI, PPP gain from MPA disqualifications

Both parties grew in numbers after by-polls for vacated seats

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have found their numbers strengthened in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly following the disqualification of four lawmakers over the last year.

Three MPAs were disqualified over fake academic degrees, while one lost his seat when some polling stations in his constituency were re-polled. A PTI MPA was also disqualified but later reinstated by the Supreme Court.

Among the disqualified members, one was from the ruling party - the provincial communication and works (C&W) minister, one a pro-PTI independent candidate, one from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and one from All Pakistan Muslim League (APML). Re-elections on the vacated seats benefited PTI the most and bolstered its ranks with three more members, in addition to retaining one seat.

[infogram url="

K-P assembly seats breakdown
Infogram

" height="700"]

PK-50, Haripur-II

PTI’s former minister for C&W Yousaf Ayub Khan was the first cabinet member to lose his seat because of a fake degree last September.

His rival candidate Qazi Asad challenged Yousaf’s documents, saying he had submitted a BA degree in the 2002 elections and then submitted an intermediate degree for the 2013 elections. However, Yousaf’s brother Akbar Ayub Khan regained the seat in the by-polls. Akbar Ayub Khan was handed his brother’s portfolio of communication and works.

PK-68, DI Khan-V

Pro-PTI Javed Akbar Khan had won in PK-68, DI Khan-V during the general elections but his electoral rival, former minister Syed Murid Kazim, had challenged his degree. The degree was considered to be bogus and Javed was disqualified.

However, Javed Akbar’s son Ehtesham Akbar Khan regained the seat vacated by his father in by-polls on a PTI ticket early September.

PK-86, Swat-VII

PML-N’s Qaimoos Khan also lost his seat over fake academic records in January this year.

His papers were challenged by his rival, Dr Haider Ali Khan. Haider later switched sides, leaving the Awami National Party, and won the vacated seat on PTI’s ticket against PML-N’s new candidate Sardar Khan.

In addition to three new MPAs, PTI also gained by not losing an MPA to similar charges of fake degrees.

Sardar Ikramullah Gandapur’s disqualification on September 24 brought PTI’s count down to 54, but the Supreme Court of Pakistan later restored him. Ikramullah’s degree was challenged by rival candidate Fatehullah Miankhel.

The K-P minister for agriculture, Gandapur, was the latest in a long line to be questioned over alleged counterfeit or fake paperwork.

Ikramullah Gandapur had won by-elections from PK-67, DI Khan-IV in 2013 after the seat fell vacant following the assassination of his younger brother, K-P law minister Israrullah Gandapur.

PPP’s score

PPP also secured another seat, pushing its lean count to five.

APML’s lone MPA Ghulam Mohammad had won against PPP’s Sardar Hussain in a close contest during the general elections 2013. However, Hussain challenged the result and re-polls were held in some polling stations of PK-90, Chitral-II. Following the re-elections, Sardar Hussain bagged the seat with a margin of 98 votes.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2014.