The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday disqualified Raja Shaukat Aziz Bhatti, a member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA), for holding a fake degree.

Bhatti was the ruling PML-N's MPA from Rawalpindi's PP-04 constituency.

The said MPA has been facing proceedings against him since his election from the constituency in 2008. Multiple arrest warrants had been issued against him since.

Major retired Iftikhar Kiani had filed an application with the ECP seeking Bhatti's disqualification and fresh by-elections in the constituency.

Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza observed that the case was being heard since before he came to office.

"This case has went on for so long ... the respondent has changed his counsels multiple times and has questioned our jurisdiction," he maintained.

A five-member commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza announced the short order denotifying the MPA.

Barrister Latif Khosa had appeared on behalf of the applicant and said the respondent had approached a high court, which refused to provide him relief by staying ECP from announcing its order.

Earlier, the Election Commission had declared Shaukat Bhatti's graduation degree fake and ordered criminal proceedings against him. Bhatti was accused of submitting the degree of another person with the same name. However, he had challenged the ECP's decision in superior courts.