Daily Times

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court on Tuesday disqualified the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid in a fake degree case. A three-member larger bench comprising Justice Malik Inayat Ur Rehman, Justice Jauhar Ali, and Justice Mushtaq Muhammad disqualified him under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

It is pertinent to mention here that, Ghulam Shahzad Agha, a member of the GB Assembly from PPP, had challenged Khurshid’s law degree and sought his disqualification. The petitioner through his counsel Amjad Hussain had contended that the degree submitted by Khurshid had not been verified by the University of London and the Higher Education Commission had declared it to be fake. During the hearing, all the respondents in the case completed their arguments after which the bench disqualified Khurshid for five years. Khalid Khurshid was disqualified as a Member of the Assembly from GBA 13 Astor 1. With Khalid Khurshid’s disqualification, the Gilgit-Baltistan Cabinet dissolved itself. All ministers, advisers, special assistants, and coordinators, were also discharged.

Meanwhile, strict security measures were taken in the premises of the Chief Court Gilgit-Baltistan and lawyers and journalists were allowed to enter the premises. Apart from this, all other public cases were adjourned till the next date. Meanwhile, Khurshid’s lawyer Advocate Asadullah said the court’s order was against “our expectations”. “We are waiting for the detailed verdict and will then file an appeal against it in the Supreme Appellate Court GB,” he said. “If there is any other option available, we will also opt for that.”

Advocate Abdullah further said that the court’s decision to hear the case on a day-to-day basis had raised a number of questions.

Separately, in a statement, the PTI said the party had decided to stand firm with Khurshid, asserting that it had a “clear majority” in the region. It said Chairman Imran Khan had called a meeting of all the members of the GB Parliamentary Committee to devise a comprehensive strategy to deal with the new challenges. “Insulting the mandate of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, and attempts to rob it will be vigorously resisted,” the PTI said, adding that the party would soon announce a new candidate for the post of CM after consultation with Imran.