Supreme Court refers minister's fake degree case to tribunal

The Supreme Court on Thursday remanded an election petition challenging the graduation degree of Muhammad Ajmal Cheema, Punjab Minister for Trade and Commerce, to the Punjab Election Tribunal.
The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi directed the Tribunal to decide the petition purely on merit. The petition was filed by Chaudhry Muhammad Saboor Kasana, a losing candidate of PML-N from PP-121 Sialkot in the general elections held on October 10, 2002.
Dr Moee-ud-Din Qazi, counsel for petitioner Chaudhry Muhammad Saboor Kasana argued that the respondent had managed a degree from Ashworth College of USA on August 15, 2002, and the same day election schedule was announced.
He contended that the Punjab Election Tribunal had dismissed the petition on July 16, 2004 on the grounds that the degree was not duly verified in accordance with the provisions of PPC. He submitted that the Tribunal had dismissed the petition on technical grounds, which was against the principles of justice.