MULTAN: An election tribunal disqualified Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Chaudhry Muhammad Hanif Jutt on Wednesday for contesting 2013 general election with a fake degree.

Tribunal judge Rana Zahid Mehmood directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct by-poll in PP-226 (Chichawatni) within 90 days.

Hanif Jutt had won the election from PP-226 and his opponent, an independent candidate, Chaudhry Saqib Naseeb Gujjar challenged the authenticity of his BA degree.

The tribunal, after investigating the allegations declared Jutt ineligible for the Punjab Assembly membership.

Jutt had secured 49,542 votes while Gujjar bagged only 1,587. PML-Q candidate Amna Naveed had got 40,715 votes, while PTI candidate Chaudhry Asim Nawaz Gujjar obtained 6,004 votes.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2014