Gilgit/Islamabad: The Chief Court of Gilgit-Baltistan disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Khalid Khursheed for possessing a fake degree under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution.
This decision was pronounced by a three-member larger bench comprising Justice Malik Inayat-ur-Rehman, Justice Johar Ali and Justice Mushtaq Muhammad in response to a petition filed by Pakistan People’s Party member Ghulam Shahzad Agha in the GB Assembly.
During the court proceedings, Khursheed’s lawyer Asadullah Khan argued that the aforementioned articles do not apply to Gilgit-Baltistan. However, counsel for the complainant pleaded that these articles apply to the region.
Khursheed joined PTI in 2018 and was promoted to the post of Divisional President of Diamar Astor. He was nominated for the top GB post after former PTI GB president Jafar Shah died of Covid-19, as the region headed for general elections in 2020. After Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed’s LLB degree was confirmed to be fake.
In a letter dated May 12, the HEC told Khursheed that the University of London had confirmed that the degrees, transcripts and letters of certification provided by him were not issued by the university. Consequently, HEC’s equivalent letter, dated September 23, 2022, is withdrawn or cancelled.
In its communication with Khalid Khursheed, the HEC revealed that the University of London had confirmed the inauthenticity of the degrees, certificates and transcripts enclosed in sealed envelopes submitted by Khursheed.
Sources familiar with the matter said that Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed will not only be immediately disqualified from his post but will also face criminal action. HEC had also blocked Khursheed’s name and CNIC on its web portal.
Meanwhile, PTI has decided to face a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed, terming the disqualification of the GB Chief Minister as unconstitutional and an undemocratic attack on his elected government in Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to PTI Central Media Department, PTI Chairman Imran Khan issued instructions to the Gilgit-Baltistan Parliamentary Party claiming that PTI has a clear majority in the GB Assembly. Additionally, the party’s parliamentary party convened its meeting in the region as well.
A complete political and parliamentary strategy will be formulated in the light of PTI Chairman’s instructions. Insulting the mandate of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and attempts to rob the mandate will be strongly resisted. A dual invasion will be countered at the same time against the elected Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The party will adopt a full legal strategy after fully analyzing the disqualification of Chief Minister GB. The action plan and preparation for no-confidence motion in Gilgit-Baltistan Council will also be finalized and submitted for the approval of the party chief.
The PTI parliamentary party will also complete the process of nomination of the agreed candidate for the post of Chief Minister. The Chief Ministerial candidate will be announced with the formal approval of Imran Khan.
The spokesperson of the party said that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will never accept daka on their mandate because PTI has a decisive majority in GB and those plotting to turn it into a minority will fail.
