QUETTA: An anti-corruption court on Tuesday sentenced 23 government officers to several years in prison over recruitment of 'fake teachers' in Balochistan education department.

Announcing decision over illegal appointments in Pishin district, Judge Munir Marri of anti-corruption court convicted seven people including district education officer Pishin, Abdul Rasheed Tareen, deputy district education officer Mulazim Hussain, Muhammad Yaqoob and four officers of the treasury department for illegally recruiting dozens in provincial education department in Pishin district.

The convicts were sentenced to eight years in prison each and fined Rs8.7 million.

In a similar case involving illegal appointments in Kila Abdullah district, the anti-corruption court sentenced 16 people including two education department officers to eight years imprisonment each.

The court observed that these officers belonging to education and treasury departments had inflicted a damage of more than 270 million rupees to the national exchequer.

Related: NAB launches inquiry against 600 'fake' teachers in Balochistan

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had launched an inquiry against more than 600 teachers recruited on fake documents in Balochistan education department last year.

The NAB official had said that most of these 'fake teachers' had obtained bogus educational certificates from different institutions in Sindh and were appointed on those documents in Quetta, Panjgur, Killa Abdullah, Bolan, Pishin and other parts of Balochistan.