A Multan district and sessions court has sentenced former Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Jamshed Dasti to 17 years in prison. The verdict comes in a long-standing fake degree case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Dasti, leader of the Awami Raj Party, was accused of using a bogus BA degree to contest the 2008 general elections.
The court found Dasti guilty on multiple charges. He received three years under Section 82, two years under Section 420 for fraud, and seven years under Section 468 for using fake documents. Additionally, he was sentenced to two years under Section 471 for presenting forged documents as genuine, along with a fine of Rs10,000. The court also handed him three years under Section 206 for attempting to bribe.
Read more: ECP disqualifies Jamshed Dasti as MNA over fake degrees
The ECP had launched the case, stating that Dasti submitted a madrassa-issued BA degree in 2008. However, the Higher Education Commission confirmed that no such degree existed in its official records. The court said Dasti misrepresented facts and violated Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, which define the eligibility criteria for lawmakers.
Despite being repeatedly summoned, Dasti failed to appear in court. The court then proceeded to deliver the verdict in his absence. His absence and lack of cooperation were noted as aggravating factors in the sentencing.
Read more: Election commission vacates Jamshed Dasti’s national assembly seat
This case marks a major development in Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to ensure transparency and accountability among public representatives. The court’s strict sentence sends a strong message about the consequences of electoral fraud and document forgery.