Pakistan opens probe into lawmakers' 'fake degrees'

Scores of Pakistani lawmakers could lose their seats in a probe into claims some have lied about their academic qualifications, officials said Wednesday. The investigation was launched by a Supreme Court order after more than a dozen parliamentarians were found to be in possession of fake degrees. A provincial deputy belonging to opposition leader Nawaz Sharif's party was the latest to be disqualified by the High Court in Lahore on Wednesday. A spokesman for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) confirmed that it had received instructions from the country's election commission to check the academic credentials of all MPs. "We are in a process to verify the graduation degrees of 991 MPs," HEC spokesman Mukhtar Ahmed told AFP. Former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf introduced new rules for 2008 polls that required elected officials to hold a degree. The condition was later waved by President Asif Ali Zardari's government. But the supreme court has ruled that the qualifications of all those who contested the 2008 elections be checked. Any member of parliament whose degree is found to be invalid will be unseated and an election held to replace them. Election commission spokesman Mohammad Afzal said the court order will be implemented "in letter and spirit."