GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed, who was elected on the ticket of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been disqualified by the top court of the region of Gilgit for possessing a fraudulent academic qualification.
Challenge Lodged against Khalid Khursheed’s Degree:
Abdul Hameed from the People’s Party and Rana Farman Ali from the (N) League, who had contested against Khalid Khurshid in the election, lodged a challenge regarding Khurshid’s degree with the Election Commission. Subsequently, the Chief Election Commissioner issued a notice to the Chief Minister.
University of London Rejects Degree Authentication:
The University of London declined to authenticate Khalid Khurshid’s degree.
Legal Action and Formation of Larger Bench:
In response to the Election Commission’s notice, Chief Minister Gilgit pursued legal action in court. Consequently, the Chief Justice of the Chief Court established a larger bench of three judges, who diligently presided over the case on a daily basis.
Unverified Degree and Lawyer’s License :
Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan’s degree was obtained from London, and he had been issued a lawyer’s license by the GB Bar Council. However, the University of London did not verify his degree.
Verdict Disqualifying Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed:
After thorough proceedings, a three-member larger bench, comprising Justice Inayat, Justice Johar, and Justice Mushtaq, delivered the verdict, thereby disqualifying Chief Minister GB Khalid Khurshid. The case involved six parties, including the Higher Education Commission, the GB Bar Council, and the GB government, with the court receiving valuable assistance from senior lawyers. After concluding today’s hearing, the court took a brief recess.
(Islamabad51-Newsdesk)
