SC to hear DG NAB Lahore's fake degree case on Monday

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear a petition next week concerning an alleged fake academic degree held by Director General National Accountability Bureau (DG NAB) Lahore Major (Retd) Shahzad Saleem.

The case has been fixed for hearing on Monday, November 12, 2018. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar will hear the case. The court has also issued notice to the petitioner, journalist Asad Kharal, in the case.

The Lahore director general of the bureau is already facing an internal probe over his alleged fake degree on the orders of the Supreme Court.

NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal had earlier sought a report from his subordinates about the dubious degree on the directions of the Supreme Court but no apparent action was taken on the issue since October 2017.

The apex court had earlier sought a report from the NAB Chairman while hearing journalist Asad Kharal's petition, which alleges that the degree issued in 2002 is written in Calibri font which was commercially available only in 2007.

Earlier, Assistant Attorney General-V Mansoor Tariq informed the Peshawar High Court during hearing of a case that Saleem Shahzad's degree was not recognised by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

The case received fresh attention this week when the issue of the dubious degree was brought up during Saleem's interview with Geo News anchorperson Shahzaib Khanzada.

On Friday, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also raised the matter during a press conference, calling on Saleem to present his degree to the press so that can verify its authenticity.

"If he does [hold a fake degree], he should be held accountable," Abbasi told reporters.

The opposition party has accused the DG NAB Lahore of conducting a 'media trial' of PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif.