The unfolding of the scandal of the parliamentarians managing to reach to the highest corridor of the power with fake degrees has sent a wave of shock to the nation and undermined the democratic profile of the country in comity of the nations.
We should be eternally grateful to Dr Tahirul Qadri for bring the point of Article 62 and 63 home. How come Pakistani voters had never asked for this, but we must also be thankful to the media as well. The ‘fake degree holders’ have been enjoying unlimited privileges in millions of taxpayer’s money as parliamentarians, making a complete mockery of the poor system prevailing in the country. The political parties that endowed them with such privileges are as much responsible as the person himself. Were the political parties not supposed to check authenticity of their degrees before awarding party tickets to them? Is there no law in the country to reprimand such political parties for such an act?
While many had doubted the ability of the Chief Election Commissioner for being too old to carry his responsibilities in an efficient manner, however the facts proved otherwise. The Chief Election Commissioner is acting responsibly and sensibly by taking steps deemed critical before the next elections. Never in the history of Pakistan had people imagined that those having fake degree would be put behind bars. The fortune of democracy in any country depends much upon free and fair elections.
JAVED IQBAL,
Lahore, April 5.