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Law Minister Dr Babar Awan is not new to controversy. But the HEC's revelation on his fake degree may cost Dr Awan his job for good.
Pakistan's Law Minister Dr Babar Awan has been embroiled in many controversial disputes, from his confrontational stance against the judiciary, to his alleged involvement in ensuring that the notorious Swiss cases against his good friend President Asif Zardari never see the light of day. But now Dr Awan is at the center of a new storm, and this time it concerns the "Dr" that comes before his name.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education that the University of Monticello, US, from where Law Minister Babar Awan claims to have done his PhD, is a non-recognised and non-chartered university.
The confirmation came from HEC Chairman Javed Leghari, who said the Commission had verified the bogus credentials of the University of Monticello, and had forwarded its findings to the Standing Committee on Education.
According to Mr. Leghari, the HEC had received a formal query from Committee Chairman and PMLN leader Abid Sher Ali to investigate news reports claiming Dr Awan's degree as fraudulent.
Prior to the HEC's inquiries, the United States Educational Foundation (USEF) had independently confirmed in 2008 that University of Monticello was a fraudulent institution that was never allowed to offer degree programmes, including PhD.
The revelations are yet another big blow to the incumbent Peoples Party government and President Asif Ali Zardari, since the Federal Law Minister was spearheading the efforts to ensure crucial NRO cases such as President Zardari's Swiss cases, and criminal references against Interior Minister Rehman Malik, were withdrawn.
The tussle to close these controversial cases has brewed a storm in the Supreme Court, which has demanded that these cases be opened. Dr Awan's tenure has also seen the resignation or removal of key Law officials, including the State Minister for Law, the Law Secretary, the Attorney General, and Chairman and Prosecuter General of the National Accountability Bureau.
The forthcoming action against Babar Awan will be a litmus test of the country's fragile accountability system, considering that he is not only the right hand man of the President, but also his key ally in the judicial disputes. The HEC and the Standing committee will have to be really careful in any future action, which will truly gauge if the Long arm of the Law is strong enough to take on its own Minister.
