ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: The University of Sindh has reversed its decision of declaring fake the graduation degree of a PPP senator, sources in the Higher Education Commission told on Saturday. The name of Senator Gul Mohammad Lot was on the list of around 60 lawmakers whose degrees were declared fake or invalid by the HEC. But the commission has now received a fresh communication from the university withdrawing its earlier decision.

The sources, however, said the vice-chancellor of the university had been asked to justify the reversal of the decision and to clarify as to how the degree had been declared fake and how it had become genuine now.

They said Mr Lot's name appeared as “Gul Mohammad Memon” on his apparently fake degree.

Mr Lot, who is currently serving as chairman of Senate's Standing Committee on textile industry, could not be reached for comments as he is currently out of the country.

The sources said that the HEC had forwarded to the Election Commission the copy of an order passed by the Azad Kashmir High Court calling for maintaining the status quo about three lawmakers – Mohammad Riaz, Iftikhar Ahmad Khan and Javed Latif.

The three lawmakers, whose degrees had been declared fake by the AJK university, had challenged the varsity's decision. The AJK High Court issued pre-admission notice to the university to file objections.

Meanwhile, the HEC has given clean chit to another 23 lawmakers, including Senator Ammar Ahmad Khan, brother of Privatisation Minister Waqar Ahmad Khan and MNA Farah Naz Ispahani, wife of Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani. Ms Naz is currently serving as the president's media coordinator.

The rest included 18 members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly, two of the Punjab assembly and one of the Sindh assembly. The sources said the HEC had so far verified 627 degrees. With the addition of these 23, the number of lawmakers declared to be holding genuine degrees in all respect has swelled to 568.