Allhamdulillah, the dislike and dissatisfaction against fake degree holding ‘honourable’ parliamentarians is now well established in the country. This is almost a consensus now! Though PML(N) is way ahead in gathering fake degrees of these ‘honourable’ parliamentarians, yet for unknown reasons, the present day PPP is affright on this issue beyond limit.
Anyway, the nation, through its opinion builders, should now start looking beyond these fake degrees. People should start thinking, what next; how to address this issue; what corrective measures should be taken after taking appropriate legal actions against these fraudsters!
Recently the veteran journalist, Mr. Najam Sethi, in one his programmes, has given a highly plausible solution to this problem. He suggested that, a one-time law should be made to vacate the seats of these perjurer parliamentarians, and the runner-up candidates in the last general election should be declared elected on these vacant seats for the remaining period of so-called constitutional tenure of the parliament. This is a beautiful suggestion – very much logical and practicable. I hope that, general discussion now would start on this practicable solution; a consensus would be developed; and finally concrete and prompt action would be taken on this.
- Syed Sayef Hussain
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FAKE DEGREES, POINT IGNORED
Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan in his article Random Thoughts says that in olden days if someone made a major mistake, he/she would be ashamed and very often they would even change their residence and start afresh somewhere else. I do remember early first half of 1960s when “Walaitee” ghee at that time popularly known and named as “dalda ghee” came in the market though it was a very cheap welcoming alternate nevertheless even the poorest of the street demanded it from the shopkeeper when there was no other customer and brought hidden in other shopping. Times changed, values changed, then in 1970s came a time when this Banaspatee ghee was available on “safarish” as was the then Lipton Yellow Label. During those olden days about which Dr. Qadir talks about morality and character was the biggest count of the time. Though extra income to some was in vogue yet such people never dared to display it. In the street and even the nearest relatives of a corrupt, bad reputed, even a minor criminal, a convicted, a “returnee” from the “thana” kept a bit distance from such a person. Today the situation has all changed. These are the quality of a “real person” and more a person is “reputed” in such “qualities” more respect he gains in the society and people feel honour having even a little bit talking relations with such a person. The word moral and conscious does not exist in our today’s life dictionaries.
Writing or saying that the fake degree holders have no conscious is just waste of time. But the grief and the pity is out of about 1000 plus parliamentarians none showed his morality, conscious, the forgotten character that in a place where sit mentally moral corrupt (fake degree holders) there my conscious brought up and developed by my respected elders does not allow me to sit at that place and amongst those hence I resign. This slide of character is not restricted to politicians only, rather it is every where even in general society where we all including myself live. The Media in the recent years has got the most important place in our society. Yesterday each member of the media cried madly with full venom against politicians on Punjab Assembly Resolution but non of the media group or media men individually showed existence of his conscious and morality by saying that his conscious does not allow him to attend to such places like assemblies where sit immoral fake degree holders and that from now onward he would not cover whatsoever such a fake degree holder. No coverage by the media of a politician holding fake or genuine degree is keeping the fish out of water.
FAKE DEGREE, BAYRANG LIFAFA
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The most honourable Mr. Ardeshir Cowasjee in his column above titled mentions how the Pakistan Bar Council in 2005 filed a constitutional petition for betterment of the Law Education in the country when the Apex Court constituted a Committee on the matter. He further describes how presently the Law Degree is obtained mostly not with a real keen interest of practicing law but to obtain Departmental promotions and a licence to “practice”. Referring to the recently announced new judicial policy by our new born Court envisaging, inter alia, important changes so as to improve the judicial system, he draws the attention of the SC to resurrect the now dormant Committee and allow it to update the legal education curriculum and bring it into line with internationally accepted standards.
The Law Degree today mostly is taken as it is the most easy Degree in Pakistan to obtain and this Degree after obtaining a Licence can be used in earning much much better than through any Degree provided one has “brain but no conscious” eg attestation of documents giving back date. Recently for the Permanent Residence Certificates I saw set of blank form being sold pre-attested by Magistrates. This senior citizen today does not remember exactly but it is about 5-6 years he sent to the Pakistan Law Commission pre-printed blank Wakalatnamas available on stationery shops same as are available blank share transfer deeds. Under the text of these Wakalatnamas the Executant signed, declared and cut his own hands that in case his case met with an ex-parte decision due to the “absence of his lawyer” he would not hold his lawyer responsible. This sentence surrendering one’s all rights in case of any foul play in itself speaks voluminous and does not need any comment. The Pakistan Law Commission never gave any response to me.
The above Committee, as we the ordinary citizens always attach fresh high hopes on each slogan; for example no one will be allowed to play with life and property of people and very next day some unknown faces are “allowed” to do it, let us hope this Committee will do for what it was established. However this senior citizen wishes to give him humble proposal knowing well no one for whom this proposal is going even to read it. Jam Sadiq Ali once said to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto that lot of articles and news are coming in the press about allotment of lands giving bad reputation to the government. The reply from Bhutto was classical and really a realistic. He said “Jam, who reads that rubbish, only the fool people”.
Evening Law Colleges of Karachi have played a pivotal role in departing legal education in Pakistan. Many from the evening S.M. Law College are today twinkling start in legal horizon. Hundreds doing their jobs in the morning completed legal education in the evening from this college on their own earnings as their parents could not bear the cost. However one serious element always remained ignored. In the Karachi Law Colleges people enrolled range from residents of Karachi upto Peshawar. Almost 50% of those enrolled live in Punjab, NWFP, Balochistan etc and they come to Karachi only when examinations are held. Though academically there is attendance system but fact is one can get his 95% attendance entered into the register. On the information conveyed by Karachi living relative-friend the enrolled student comes to Karachi to appear in the examination. Why this? For two main reasons namely (a) attendance free and (b) cheating copying in Law Examination is the biggest facility not available elsewhere in Pakistan.
I suggest to overcome this the admission is given only to those who had domicile of Karachi or Sindh. The is not to ban admission of students from other provinces but they be given only on the strength after verifying that they are actually residing in Karachi. Every type of bogus copies of documents like domiciles, bogus verifications all are available not on much cost today. The Committee may recommend in the Evening Law Colleges of Karachi compulsory biometric attendance of student the cost of which equipment today is just nominal in comparison to the benefit to the standard of education. In a society where a degree is a degree whether fake or genuine a degree obtained after through study or by cheating copying though makes no difference yet it is well established fact God has given to all human beings Muslim, Christian, Hindus, communists etc a moral conscious which pinches a man automatically if a thing is good or bad.
Notwithstanding all the above, however, after knowing the valuable views of our respected President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister Balochistan and not less than the our Education Minister, having a fake degree appears practically today more beneficial ensuring good job and good career. Traditions have changed so why should not fake v/s genuine degree. Yesterday a son of 60 years having his own grown up married children used to smoke hidden from his father, today a father with pride brings foreign cigarettes for his son while returning from foreign tour. It was late half of 60s. I was working in a mega project situate outskirts of the city. The project had just started and a small building at the entrance was made in the beginning. It housed a Branch of Habib Bank and a Post Office. From the nearby cattle colony illiterate businessmen dealing with cattle and milk daily came to the Bank for making Bank Draft in 4 to 5 figures which at that time was too big a sum. My own salary, a very good and attractive at that time was Rs. 330/- a month. These people come to our tables seeking help in filling up their Bank Draft Forms or writing envelopes for sending ready bank drafts. At that time I and my colleagues were unable to understand the theology of these illiterate businessmen but seeing today the fake degree galore I realize how mentally educated those illiterate people were compared to us having got education from colleges through written books. These people used to send their envelopes containing bank drafts without affixing any postage stamps on them which in ordinary language is called a “beayrang” letter. We had academic education so based on that we always told them should we right on the envelope “Registered Mail” they always refused and requested only to write merely address after which without affixing postage they dropped those envelope situate outside our office. They analogy was that a “beyrang” letter was most safe as in this the government is very cautious to recover the penalty from the receiver end and this envelope according to them like the routine mail is not dropped from beneath the door rather the postman personally by hand is given to the addressee by charging penalty and such an envelope is recorded at every stage of transmission. Fake degree and “beayrang” envelope – really a point.
Knowledge is Power,
Throughout the ages there have been no degrees
In the current time Degrees have become a standard
Agree with the article that the runner up should be chosen as elected