Fake degree case: Arrest warrant issued for PTI MPA

The district and sessions court issued an arrest warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Faisal Zaman on Thursday for being absent from court proceedings. Zaman was facing charges of having a fake degree that the election commission had referred to the court for investigation.

Zaman was elected to the provincial assembly on PTI’s ticket from PK-52 Haripur IV in 2013 after defeating Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s provincial president and former chief minister Pir Sabir Shah. Shah, who lost to Zaman for the second time, had challenged the legitimacy of Zaman’s BA degree.

Zaman has claimed that he obtained his degree from the University of Nigeria, where his company has been doing business for decades. Shah alleged that Zaman’s degree is fake and, after the election tribunal termed it a suspicious case, the matter was referred to the district and sessions court in Haripur for further investigation.

The proceedings in the case started during November 2013 but, according to court sources, Zaman has yet to attend a single hearing. When he did not appear again on Thursday, District and Sessions Judge Azeem Afridi issued an arrest warrant in the name of the MPA, asking the police to ensure his appearance by March 12.

When approached for comments, ASP Headquarters Wahid Mehmood claimed he has not yet received clear court orders. “We are bound to obey the court’s directives,” said Mehmood, adding “I cannot act unless my office receives a written order.”

Meanwhile, Zaman, while talking to The Express Tribune, said “My lawyer appeared before the court today and appealed for an adjournment since I was in Karachi for a meeting.”

Source: tribune