QUETTA: An anti-corruption court on Thursday sentenced three government officers to seven years in jail over recruitment of fake teachers in Balochistan education department.

Judge Munir Marri convicted Din Muhammad. an education department officer and two others for recruitment of 18 teachers in provincial education department. All the accused were sentenced to seven years imprisonment each.

The officers were accused of recruiting fake teachers and appointing them in province's Kalat district.

Meanwhile, an accountability court issued non-bailable arrest warrants of eight other education department officers including a former director schools on the same charge.

Accountability Court Judge, Abdul Majeed Nasar issued non-bailable arrest warrants of Abdul Qayyum Babai, former director schools, Nizamuddin, former additional director schools and six other officers for recruitment of a large number of fake teachers in the province.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed references against these education department officers over the alleged recruitment of such teachers.

NAB officials claim that most of these 'fake' teachers obtained bogus educational certificates from different institutions and many of them were appointed on fake documents in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan.

Also Read: NAB launches inquiry against 600 'fake' teachers in Balochistan

Back in August, the provincial education department had terminated more than 400 ghost teachers across the province.

The ghost employees were drawing their salaries from the districts of Quetta, Panjgor, Killa Abdullah, Pishin, Kharan, Dera Bugti and other areas of the province.

The provincial government has terminated 112 ghost teachers in Quetta, 57 in Killa Abdullah, 39 in Pishin, 65 in Dera Bugti and other districts of the province. Balochistan is lagging behind other provinces in terms of key social indicators.