LHC judge declines to hear fake degree case

Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi of the Lahore High Court on Thursday declined to hear bail petition of PTI MNA Ch Ghulam Sarwar citing personal reasons.

Former federal minister for overseas Pakistanis of PML-Q is facing charges of contesting 2002 general elections on a graduation degree secured on the basis of a fake intermediate certificate.

As hearing started, the petitioner counsel Akram Qureshi argued that public image of his client is being tarnished on the basis of a fake case. He said the voters of the constituency had reposed confidence in Sarwar by electing him as their chosen representative. A law officer told the court that an FIR had been registered against Sarwar on the direction of the Election Commission. He said that the Anti Corruption Establishment had completed its investigation and found him guilty.

The judge remarked that the court had already decided another case involving Sarwar and it would be in the interest of justice that some other court may hear the bail petition. The court extended the bail till February 20 and referred the matter to the LHC chief justice.

Prosecution said that Sarwar had failed the practical exam for a diploma but had obtained an NOC in connivance with the Punjab Board of Technical Education employees. He said that Sarwar had attached the same NOC to a form for his BA admission.

Counsel for Sarwar said that the PBTE did not have the authority to cancel the diploma. He said his client had been elected twice as member of the parliament on the basis of that certificate. He said Sarwar was being implicated in a false case.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had filed a case against Sarwar for obtaining a fake diploma to appear in his BA exam.

The 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 Punjab Board of Technical Education’s former chairman, its secretary and two other officials for unlawfully issuing the duplicate diploma.

Source: thenews