Balochistan Assembly likely to be dissolved in the fake degree fiasco

[sparklingway]

Balochistan Assembly likely to be dissolved​

By Hassan Choudary

June 27, 2010

The Balochistan Assembly may be dissolved in the coming weeks because possibly more than half its members have fake degrees, say officials.

Sources close to intelligence agencies told The Express Tribune that 35 members of the Balochistan Assembly used false academic credentials to contest elections. The Express Tribune was also informed that the government sought the help of agencies to investigate academic records of members of the provincial assembly. Considering that the total number of MPAs stands at 65, dissolution of the assembly seems quite probable.

Many submitted degrees from religious institutions but these are under scrutiny. The man under most pressure as a result of this situation is Dr Javaid Leghari, head of the Higher Education Commission, and a friend of President Zardari. Leghari insists he is “under no pressure from any side” but many parliamentarians are pushing the government to act on this so that their seats are saved.

According to president of the National party and Senator Dr Abdul Malik, majority of the MPAs paid huge sums of money to universities in order to obtain fake degrees. “Such people should be punished according to law,” Malik said while talking to The Express Tribune. He added that his party was pursuing those who made it to the assembly under false educational records. “We have filed a case against Minister for Industries Ehsan Shah in this regard. The hearing of that case is on June 29,” he told The Express Tribune. Malik however said that he doesn’t see any possibility of the provincial assembly being dissolved.

Senior Baloch journalist Kazim Mengal also said that the number of MPAs with fake degrees may not be enough for the assembly to be dissolved. “The total number of those holding false credentials is around 15 whereas the total strength of the assembly is 65,” Mengal said. In such a scenario by-elections are more likely to be held, he added. Mengal stated that the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) may be the biggest loser in this issue as majority of the MPAs belonging to it have diplomas from madrassas that the Election Commission of Pakistan doesn’t consider to be the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree.

On Friday, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that there may be mid-term elections in the country, if a large number of parliamentarians turn out to be fake degree holders. The statement came a day after the Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission to initiate action against legislators who contested the 2008 general polls on the basis of fake degrees. According to media reports the number of lawmakers possessing fake degrees could be around 150.

The background of the fake degrees issue can be traced back to the general elections held in February 2008 when many contestants submitted bogus documents in order to evade a law that made only graduates eligible for contestation of elections. This law was introduced by former president Pervez Musharraf, who was in office at that time, to keep his adversaries out of the parliament.

According to secretary Election Commission of Pakistan Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan, chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education Abid Sher Ali has sought details of degrees of 1,150 lawmakers, which have been provided to the committee.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2010.

 

[M8R]

Would be a mistake - These MNA's with fake degrees will start saying it's discrimination against Balochis..lol.

 

[SSGPA1]

I think we are looking at a mini midterm election.

 

[greatsequence]

it will not be mini. If you have election on some 200 seats including both provincial and national you cant say it mini.

 

[GUNNER]

I don't think BA will be dissolved. Nor do i see the possibility of mid-term elections. Even if some MPs are proven to have fake degrees, by-polls will be held to fill the seats, just like in the case of Punjab.

 

[sparklingway]

I don't think BA will be dissolved. Nor do i see the possibility of mid-term elections. Even if some MPs are proven to have fake degrees, by-polls will be held to fill the seats, just like in the case of Punjab.

By mid-term elections people mean to say that 110 National and Provincial assembly by-polls certainly mean a kind of mid-term election and public mood will be evaluated.

 

[GUNNER]

By mid-term elections people mean to say that 110 National and Provincial assembly by-polls certainly mean a kind of mid-term election and public mood will be evaluated.

Well, it's actually not the case on ground. One, due to the reason, that political parties like PML-N and PPP have the understanding that they do not field candidates against each other in By-Polls. If a seat is vacated by PML-N candidate, PPP will not field it's candidate and let the PML-N have it again. And Vice Versa.

Secondly, by-polls never give you the public mood because the voters vote for the party which is in power. Also, the real issues at such individual and isolated polls are far different than people percieve.

 

[sparklingway]

Well, it's actually not the case on ground. One, due to the reason, that political parties like PML-N and PPP have the understanding that they do not field candidates against each other in By-Polls. If a seat is vacated by PML-N candidate, PPP will not field it's candidate and let the PML-N have it again. And Vice Versa.

Secondly, by-polls never give you the public mood because the voters vote for the party which is in power. Also, the real issues at such individual and isolated polls are far different than people percieve.

The situation might become totally unpredictable.

 

[Nahraf]

Balochistan has the lowest per capita literacy rate in Pakistan. Nonetheless these fake degree holders must resign and byelections should take place. Musharraf's rule on university degree for elections was a ground breaking law for Pakistan. It will show its result in next 20 years when new crop of real degree holders politicians will run for elections. This current generation of fake degree holders did not know 20 years ago that degree law will be passed and their dream of public office will be crushed. Now Pakistani establishment has learned the additional value of education hopefully they will send their children to colleges and universities.

 

[Frankenstein]

I think there should be a couple of hour Multiple Choice Questions type test to see whether someone actually have a degree or not or is it authentic or not, dame

 

[Spring Onion]

A forced alliance of Govt in Balochistan was meant to come to this point .

Now this is something which is either going to mold things or further deteriorate the situation

 

[EjazR]

Well the MNA broke the law and there should be consequences. But personally I don;t think it is a good idea to have a degree as a requirement. Democracy is ideally supposed to empower regardless of whether you are a degree holder or not.
Other things like criminal/corruption cases e.t.c. are better criteria to disqualify MNAs rather than making a Bachelor degree compulsory.