Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi, President of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, has asked the Election Commission to direct all 13490 candidates who applied for 2008 general elections to get their degrees verified by the Higher Education Commission and submit the report to it. He said that PAT was determined to bring about educational revolution in the country. He further said that the Election Commission would have to play its role against fake degree holders, tax evaders and loan defaulters and stop them from reaching assemblies. He said that the ECP’s one-sided decision to accept the veracity of degrees of those declared fake by the HEC would raise a number of questions on impartiality, fairness and neutrality of the ECP.

Dr Abbasi said that in the circumstances wherein reservations existed on composition of the ECP, such a conduct would make this institution more dubious in the eyes of the people. He said that it appeared from such steps that the ECP wanted to hand over the nation’s destiny in the hands of the illiterate crop of so-called vested interests. He said that the mother of all problems facing the nation was illiteracy and lack of awareness. ‘Nation’s destiny can only change for the better if we make sustained efforts for elimination of illiteracy and promotion of education in the country,’ he said.

PAT President said that such weak and questionable decisions of the Election Commission reflected the policy of ‘collusion and deal making’ between the government and the opposition. He asked the ECP to beware of such moves which could further tarnish its image.