KARACHI, Sept 23: Advocate Islam Hussain, who had challenged the degree of Mian Ejaz Shafi, on Monday appealed to the Sindh High Court to recall its order allowing Mr Shafi to contest elections because according to the Calcutta University, they had conducted no such examinations in the concerned years.

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Hussain produced a copy of the reply received from the Controller of Examination O. S. Adhikari, University of Calcutta.

Regarding Mr Hussain’s request for verification of Mr Ejaz Shafi’s certificates of Intermediate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts Examinations 1964 and 1966 respectively, Mr Adhikari replied that “on verification of official record, it is revealed that no such examinations were conducted by the university in the concerned years. Therefore, the question of genuineness of those certificates does not arise at all. In other words, the said certificates are all fake.”

The Sindh High Court in its order had stated that “under the circumstances the nomination form as candidate of NA-239, namely Ejaz Shafi has been accepted subject to verification of his degree issued by the Calcutta University, India. It is, therefore, requested that the matter may be taken up for verification of the said degree through the High Commission of Pakistan in India or by any other mode. In case the said degree is found forged, he will be deemed to be disqualified to contest the general elections 2002.”

Mr Hussain who also represents, Al-Qanoon, an international organisation for the protection of human rights, had faxed the degrees for verification to the concerned university. But the reply through post, dated Sept 9, was received on Sept 22, a day after the SHC announced its judgment.

Mr Hussain has forwarded the reply of the Indian university’s official with a request to disqualify Mian Ejaz Shafi from contesting elections.