ANOTHER Member of Parliament has bitten the dust in the past few days. He has been unseated by the Supreme Court for submitting a fake degree and declaring himself a graduate at the time of contesting the 2008 election. The Election Commission has been directed to file criminal charges against him.

I wonder if such 'fakers' get embarrassed? Does their conscience prick them for committing a fraud? Or are they shameless?

Obviously, such 'fakers' start their campaign of getting elected on fraudulent grounds. So what can be expected of them when they sit legislating and deciding the future of 180 million people? It could be everything except the welfare of the people.

The graduation degree requirement to contest elections was inserted during Gen Musharraf's regime.

It is such a pity that our governments over the past many decades have not had education as a priority for whatever reasons. This reality is reinforced by the fact that this year's budget allocation for education has been reduced further from the paltry sum allocated last year.

The graduation degree condition for contesting elections was struck off the statutes later, though after the 2008 election. So whoever contested the polls that year, it was mandatory that the candidate had to be at least a graduate.

According to a recent news report, there are quite a few 'fakers' still around. Are they waiting to be challenged on this score? Wouldn't it be better if they voluntarily resigned and vacated their seats and returned the salaries/allowances they have drawn from the exchequer (taxpayers' money).

M. ALI CHUNDRIGAR
Islamabad