Leader of the opposition in the Senate Wasim Sajjad and PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar on Friday submitted two separate privilege motions to Senate Secretariat. Wasim Sajjad in his privilege motion said that it has been reported in a section of the press including the electronic media quoting sources of the ECP that degrees of 298 legislators were fake that also contains his name.
He said that the news item was mala fide and without any foundation whatsoever. "At the time I filed my nomination papers, I submitted certified copies of the degrees that were required. No objection was raised by any quarter whatsoever. Since then I have received no demand from any authority including the Election Commission and the Higher Education Commission for supply of any further documents," he added.
He clarified that he did BA from Government College Lahore in 1961 and obtained first class with Honours in English. Sajjad added that he appeared for the FEL examination in 1962 and stood first in the university and was awarded gold medal. In 1963, he said he passed the LLB examination standing first and was awarded another gold medal. He said that in 1964, he appeared for MA (Political Science) examination from the Punjab University and once again obtained first position in the University and was awarded gold medal. "All these facts are a matter of record and may be checked from the University of Punjab," he added.
He said he was selected as a Rhodes Scholars from Pakistan for studies at Oxford University and secured BA Hons in Jurisprudence in 1966 and the postgraduate degree of Bachelor of Civil Laws (BCL) in 1967. He said that he was also awarded the degree of MA Jurisprudence from Oxford University. "I am also a Barrister-at-Law from the Hon'ble Society of Inner Temple London and was elected honorary fellow of Wadham College Oxford. Copies of the relevant documents can be provided to any authority that may wish to see them," he maintained.
In these circumstances, Sajjad said the news item based on sources of the ECP and the HEC was an attempt to defame him, which amounts to breach of his privilege as a Member of the Senate of Pakistan. "It also appears that an attempt is being made to shield actual fake degree holders by confusing the issue," he said, adding that it also appears that a concerted attempt is being made to denigrate respectable politicians and thus damage the political process.
With a same version, PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar also submitted a privilege motion to the Senate and described the news as mala fide and without any foundation whatsoever. He added that at the time he filed his nomination papers for the Senate Elections in 2003 and 2006, he also submitted his original together with certified copies of degrees that were required. He said that no objection was raised by any quarter whatsoever. Since then, Dar added that he received no demand from any authority including the ECP or the HEC for supply of any further documents.
He clarified that he passed his matriculation examination in first division from Muslim Model School Lahore in 1964 and then intermediate examination in first division from Government College Lahore in 1966. He added that he passed his BCom (Hons) examination in December 1969 from Hailey College of Commerce, University of Punjab and was awarded two gold medals and a Role of Honour for securing first position in the University of Punjab.
He said that he joined the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in May 1970 for Post Graduation studies in Chartered Accountancy and completed all examinations and training in London and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1974.
Subsequently, he added that he also qualified as a Member of the British Institute of Management and as an Associate Member (later as Fellow Member) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan. "Based on my post qualification experience in profession and industry in England till 1976, as Senior Auditor to the Government of Libya during 1976-77 and in Chartered Accountancy profession in Pakistan till 1980, I was admitted as Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 1980," he added. Both the senators urged that their privilege motions should be admitted and appropriate proceedings be initiated against the persons concerned.