Raise your voice against fake degree parliamentarians

[sparklingway]

The following is a sample letter in the name of the Chief Justice of Pakistan appealing for suo-moto action against fake degree parliamentarians.

The original sample was published across a number of blogs by Isa Daudpota and Naeem Sadiq. I have edited according to what I perceived was better. You are more than welcome to pursue any changes.

Also, I am unable to find a free online fax service for Pakistan. I'll send mine through a friend but if anybody is faxing his copy, then let me know so that I can send you mine as well (of course if you won't mind).

Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
The Honourable Chief Justice
Supreme Court of Pakistan.

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

Dear Sir,

Today we stand at a point in history when the people have the power to change the course of the system of governance in Pakistan. The people want their elected representatives and unelected officials to be held accountable before them.

For over a decade there has been a proliferation in the acquisition and use of fake degrees to obtain jobs across different spheres of life. This unethical practice took a new direction when the previous government made a bachelor’s degree a requirement for becoming a parliamentarian under article 8A of the Conduct of General Elections (Amendment) Order 2002. Many candidates who did not meet the required educational qualifications took the criminal route and obtained fake degree certificates to become eligible.

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

Under the The Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010 the parliament 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. They have committed a criminal act by producing a fake degree certificate and have violated the trust of the people and deceived them. The interest of Pakistan and the common interest of all citizens has been seriously compromised by law-makers who indulge in such unethical and fraudulent practices.

I would therefore like to appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of this case under powers granted by Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and order the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) 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 depending on how the court sees to it. I am hopeful that the Chief Justice of Pakistan would see to this matter.

Applicant:
Your Name​

Postal Address :-
The Chief Justice of Pakistan,
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad 44000

Fax Number :- 051-9213452

 

[SekrutYakhni]

I have Fax facility at home. If you don't mind than you can send it to me.

 

[Nahraf]

I oppose fake degree politicians who have committed fraud in the process. Pakistan has low literacy rate and small education budget. There are no schools in many villages and towns. The standard of many schools is low and qualifications of many teachers is questionable. Then how come can we expect literate and honest politicians coming being elected from these areas. First we should atleast quadruple our education budget especially for primary and secondary schools and then wait another 25 years to harvest educated politicians.

 

[VrSoLdIeRs]

well if you are working in a govt. institution and your degree is found to be fake you might be sent to jail... but why not the assembly??? they have enjoyed all the benefits n wasted enough of pakistan's money... supreme court should never let go of such criminals!!!

 

[Deviant]

Ain't sure if true
But somewhere read that President Asif ali Zardhari's Degree from some foreign University is of doubt *wonders*

 

[VrSoLdIeRs]

Ain't sure if true
But somewhere read that President Asif ali Zardhari's Degree from some foreign University is of doubt *wonders*

well he did go to UK but was unable to get his graduation degree, so he aint a graduate at all

 

[Deviant]

well he did go to UK but was unable to get his graduation degree, so he aint a graduate at all

yea but a pakistani blog or site said that he has enrolled his status in the Government as a Graduate.

If the fake-certificate parliamentarians have to go.. so will Zardhari go too.. right? just askin

 

[VrSoLdIeRs]

yea but a pakistani blog or site said that he has enrolled his status in the Government as a Graduate.

If the fake-certificate parliamentarians have to go.. so will Zardhari go too.. right? just askin

i really wish he does i dont think the president of pakistan 'has' to be a graduate, its for the parliamentarians...

 

[fawwaxs]

 

[RescueRanger]

The problem is that it is so easy to get hold of fake degrees, the most common Metric/FA or FSc from Sargodha Board, or B.A from Peshawar University under false candidate/roll numbers.

The locally procured fake degree's set you back about 100,000 to 300,000 rupees. FSc costs about 50,000. But the new trend is getting worthless degrees from degree mills in the USA.

This has created a huge problem for candidates returning from abroad, one of my cousins spend 20 years in the US in avaition security, he got his associate's degree in management from a reputable online college, yet due to this affair of fake-online degree's the HEC: Higher Education Commission has failed to verify or endorse foreign degrees.

That means ordinary citizens with foreign degree will have to go additional scrutiny or perhaps even discrimination because of these flaws. Which is a total shame.

 

[mehru]

Even if we do raise voice against such politicians, people will elect them again. e.g Jamshed Dasti

 

[Treatment]

Its a small step forward but a good one.