Raise Your Voice: Supreme Court Should Take Fake Degree Holders in Parliament to Task.

Isa Daudpota and Naeem Sadiq

A dozen or so of these unworthy parliamentarians have been already disqualified on grounds of fake degrees. Many more continue to be our MNAs and MPAs.

Even though the Constitution no longer requires any higher education, for how long shall we suffer this national indignity and tolerate these unethical characters?

Why shouldn’t the Supreme Court task the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to verify the degrees of all MNAs and MPAs and get rid of those who entered the legislatures on the basis of deception and fraud?

Regardless of their party, all fake degree holders should be removed and made ineligible for any future elections.

Here is an appeal we have sent to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, requesting suo moto action from the judiciary on this matter.

If you agree with our views and are sufficiently moved, do write a supporting letter to the Supreme Court Chief Justice or a letter to Pakistani newspapers. Let’s all turn the pressure up.

Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
Honorable Chief Justice
Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Re: Request to take Suo Moto Notice in the Public Interest against Parliamentarians with Fake Degrees

Dear Sir,

For over a decade there has been a proliferation in the acquisition and use of fake degrees. This unethical practice took a new direction when the government made a bachelor’s degree a requirement for entering parliament. Many parliamentarians, who did not meet the required educational qualifications took the easy route and obtained fake degree certificates.

Several members of the provincial and national assemblies have been exposed by their opponents and media, resulting in them losing their seats. Some 40 of them have been challenged in courts, while many other fake degree holders continue to retain their parliamentary seats.

The new law has removed the degree requirement. This however does not mean that those who used deception in the past should either continue to be our lawmakers or be allowed to contest forthcoming elections or bye-elections.

The interest of Pakistan and the common interest of all citizens is seriously compromised by law-makers who indulge in such unethical and fraudulent practices.

We therefore appeal to the Supreme Court to order the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to urgently verify the authenticity of the educational qualifications of all parliamentarians. The HEC is mandated to perform this task and to maintain educational standards in the country.

Those found to have used fake documents to enter parliament may be removed from parliament and disqualified from entering this honorable body again.

Applicants:

Isa Daudpota & Naeem Sadiq

Editor’s Note: This was also published at TeethMaestro’s blog.