ISLAMABAD Aug 18: The Supreme Court of Pakistan was on Thursday moved for early hearing of a pending petition challenging academic qualification of 68 parliamentarians of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

Petitioner Dr Aslam Khaki has filed an application praying the apex court to fix an early date for hearing of his petition filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution on May 5, 2003. The petition seeks disqualification of MMA legislators under Article 63 of the Constitution.

Earlier, soon after filing of the petition, the apex court had issued notice to the attorney general of Pakistan on May 7, 2003.

Attorney General Makhdoom Ali Khan, appearing on the notice, had requested for more time for submission of reply and the matter has been pending since then.

After a recent judgment of the apex court on the status of “Sanads” (certificate) issued by Deeni Madressahs, petition Dr Khaki has filed an application for early hearing of his case.

Before October-2002 general elections the constitution of Pakistan was amended to fix a minimum qualification of graduation for members of the parliament.

In his petition, Dr Khaki has challenged the qualification of 64 MMA representatives elected as members of the National Assembly, the Senate and four provincial assemblies. Majority of these respondents belong to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F). They also include the Leader of the Opposition in NA Maulana Fazl ur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haider and Hafiz Hussain Ahmed etc.

In his petition Dr Khaki has contended that degrees of different madressahs, which majority of MMA parliamentarians possess, should be considered equivalent to MA Islamiat only for teaching purpose.

To substantiate his argument, he has referred to the rules of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) which equate madressah degree (Dars-e-Nizami) with MA only for teaching purposes. The rules say holder of a sanad should take additional examination in two subjects, other than Islamiat and Arabic, if he wants to use his degree for another purpose.