ISLAMABAD, Dec 23: Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza is likely to send before the end of the year cases to various district police officers (DPOs) for registration of FIRs against a dozen lawmakers accused of acquiring and misusing fake academic degrees, sources told Dawn on Thursday.

They said cases against nine lawmakers had already been sent to different DPOs. The three lawmakers against whom cases were sent in recent days include Balochistan Minister for Population Welfare Mohammad Khan Toor.

The other two accused were member of the National Assembly Syed Salman Mohsin Gilani and member of the Punjab Assembly Mir Badshah Khan Qaisrani, both belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-N.

An official of the Election Commission said several accused would be given a last opportunity to defend themselves before the committee supervising the scrutiny of degrees on Dec 28, after which more cases could be sent to the DPOs.

Answering a question about the possibility of political pressure forcing the police to withhold registration of FIRs against the accused, the official said the policemen refusing to file cases within the stipulated time would have to face contempt charges.

He pointed out that under the Constitution all executive authorities were bound to assist the Election Commission in the discharge of its duties. He said under Article 103A of the Constitution, the Commission has the same power as the High Court has to punish any person for contempt of court.

He also pointed out that the verification process had been started on the directions of the Apex Court, which had later also held that the Chief Election Commissioner can independently act against the dodgy degree holding lawmakers, in the absence of the four members of the Election Commission who ceased to exist after the passage of 18th amendment.