Bogus degrees scandal: Former Pak lawmakers fall like ninepins

Different Pakistani courts have put big question marks over the political careers of several former lawmakers who had deceived the system by using fake educational certificates to fulfill electoral conditions.
The most recent wicket to fall was Pakistan Peoples Party’s Jamshed Dasti who had won a seat in the 2008 general election, according to Dawn daily.
A local court in Muzaffargarh sentenced the former member of National Assembly to three years in prison. Dasti was arrested from outside the courtroom following his sentencing. He was also fined Rs 5,000 (SR 200)
Earlier in the day, a judge sentenced former Awami National Party’s (ANP) lawmaker from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Syed Aqil Shah, to one-year imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 for holding a fake degree.
Shah was elected as an MPA from PK-4 constituency of Peshawar. He was also arrested.
Also yesterday, a judge in Pakpattan declared a former MNA, Syed Salman Mohsin Gilani, of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz a proclaimed offender over possessing a fake degree.
Similarly, a judge in Bahawalpur declared ex-lawmaker Amir Yar Waran, associated with the PPP, as a proclaimed offender for possessing a fake degree. The court also ordered the freezing of his assets.
A court in Quetta reserved its ruling in a case pertaining to possession of fake degree against former provincial minister from Balochistan Mir Ali Madad Jattak, associated with the PPP.
In related news, the Cambridge University declared the A-Levels certificate submitted by former federal minister Shaikh Waqas Akram fake yesterday.