The Lahore High Court extended to September 06 the bail application of former federal minister for Overseas Pakistanis Ghulam Sarwar, facing charges of securing graduation degree on the basis of fake intermediate certificate.
The proceedings could not be held on Tuesday, as the accused counsel was busy before the Supreme Court. The court had directed the University to produce the record of the accused on next date of hearing.
The Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) had lodged a case against Ghulam Sarwar for obtaining a fake degree of F.A to appear in B.A examination to meet the Graduation condition in general elections of 2008. It was alleged that Ghulam Sarwar son of Muhammad Hayat Khan obtained a duplicate diploma originally issued to another candidate of namesake but his father’s name was Abdul Hameed Khan. Ghulam Sarwar used the duplicate diploma for appearing in Graduation examinations and obtained a BA degree eventually.
The ACE after investigation lodged a case against the accused including Ghulam Sarwar, former chairman of Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE), its secretary and two other officials for issuing the duplicate diploma unlawfully. The petitioner-accused counsel argued that the case registered by the ACE was a result of political victimisation and the petitioner had nothing to do with the allegations. He said the case lodged by the ACE was politically motivated. Prosecutor General Punjab Sadaqat Ali Khan had opposed the bail plea and said that the crime committed by the former minister had been established.
This article originally appeared on brecorder
