The Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Khalid Khursheed, has been accused of using a fake degree from the University of London in his nomination documents.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) had sought to verify Khursheed’s degree from the University of London, which subsequently declared the degree fraudulent.
The Daily “The News” claimed that the GB Chief Minister will face immediate disqualification and legal action may also be initiated against him.
The degree submitted by Khursheed reportedly showed noticeable discrepancies in aspects like paper quality, embossed stamp, font, and signature compared to legitimate certificates from the University of London during the same period.
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The HEC is reportedly preparing a letter to annul Khursheed’s degree and is drafting a letter to this effect. “Immediate disqualification and legal action will be initiated against him for deceiving the HEC and the Pakistani government,” the sources claimed.
In response to the HEC’s letter, the University of London stated, “The envelope and its contents (copy of the degree certificate, letter of certification, and transcript) were not issued by the University of London.”
In contrast, Yasir Abbas, a member of the Chief Minister’s legal team, has said that the allegations against Khursheed’s academic qualifications are a ploy by his political adversaries to tarnish the PTI-led government in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Abbas assured that the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister holds a legitimate LLB degree from the University of London, which has been duly verified and given equivalence by the HEC. He also stated that the Chief Minister had challenged the baseless propaganda in the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court and that the Gilgit-Baltistan Bar Council had supported his academic records.
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He added, “The opposition leader tried to coerce the Bar Council and offered to alter the council’s records. The Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan is considering filing a defamation suit against those spreading this false information.”
Abbas concluded, “Attaching degrees with nomination papers is not required.
