MIANWALI, April 11: A man who practiced law for 16 years on the basis of his fake degree has been booked under sections 468, 471 and 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Malik Mohammad Saeed worked as a clerk with Mianwali-based senior lawyer Malik Saleem Akhtar. After Akhtar’s death, Saeed enrolled himself as a lawyer with the Punjab Bar Council in 1993 and started practice at the Mianwali District Bar Association. In 2007, he became an advocate of the Lahore High Court and secured life membership of the Lahore High Court Bar Association.

Saeed contested election for the slot of the district bar president in 2010 and was defeated. Later, he challenged his rival Sanaullah Khan’s victory in the court.

In reaction, Khan challenged Saeed’s academic credentials and it was found during the investigation that Saeed’s law degree was fake.

The disciplinary committee of the Punjab Bar Council sent Saeed’s LLB degree to the Punjab University, which declared it fake. Later, the committee cancelled Saeed’s licence and referred his case to the tribunal.

The tribunal, presided over by Lahore High Court Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, upheld the decision of the Punjab Bar Council and ordered criminal proceedings against Saeed.

Also, former Mianwali district bar president Sultan Sikandar Khan filed an application to the Lahore district and sessions judge for registration of a criminal case against Saeed. The judge accepted Khan’s application and ordered a criminal case against Saeed.

Finally, Lahore’s Civil Lines police registered an FIR (No 293/11) against Saeed.