The Supreme Court on Monday directed Higher Education Commission (HEC) to tell it whether or not Al-Khair University was a recognised varsity. The apex court directed the HEC to apprise whether the bachelor's degree issued by Al-Khair University to PML-N's Malik Yasir Raza, ex MPA, was a recognised, valid and accepted document inside Pakistan, noted Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in the order. They postponed the hearing till July 30.
A three-member bench comprising, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday issued the order after hearing an appeal of Malik Yasir Raza against a decision of LHC Rawalpindi bench. On June 30, Justice Khwaja Imtiaz Ahmed of LHC Rawalpindi bench in a short order had declared Malik Yasir Raza disqualified on a petition filed by Ishtiaq Mirza, a PPP candidate.
The petition had challenged the validity of Raza's Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) obtained from the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education in 1995 and graduation degree and matriculation certificate. Wasim Sajjad, the counsel for the appellant, stated that he could not make a statement whether or not Al-Khair University was a Higher Education Commission-recognised institution. However, it could be sent to HEC for verification.
He said the respondent had withdrawn his objection to his client's degree and questioned the authenticity of his intermediate certificate. Referring to a decision of the apex court in Rizwan Gill's case, Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday said that it was the obligation of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to guard against corrupt practices.
He observed the election petitions were part of election process and hearing of such appeals by the apex court was a continuation of the same process. "And each one of us has to guard against corrupt practices no matter whosoever is before the court," he remarked.