Fake diploma: Supreme Court sets aside order to restore teacher

LAHORE:The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday set aside Punjab Services Tribunal’s (PST) order pertaining to restoration of a handicapped elementary schoolteacher.

Sheikhupura district education officer had removed Nadeem Akhter from service after he was found guilty of presenting a fake diploma at the time of applying for the job. DEO had also ordered for recovering all the salaries he had withdrawn during the service. Later, PST restored him after he challenged DEO decision.

Punjab government moved an appeal to SC against PST decision and a bench led by Chief Justice Ch Gulzar Ahmed took up the case on Thursday at Lahore Registry. Punjab government pleaded that Nadeem Akhtar submitted a fake diploma of Allama Iqbal Open University at the time of his appointment in 2004. However, in 2010 Punjab government decided to regularise all elementary teachers and their educational certificates and degrees were scrutinised and during the process diploma of Nadeem Akhtar was found fake. The teacher told the court that he was appointed on the basis of graduation degree but some employees of department attached a fake diploma with his documents to settle score with him. After hearing arguments from both sides, SC accepted Punjab government’s appeal and upheld DEO Sheikhupura’s order after setting aside decision of PST. The court remarked that a disabled person could not be allowed to lie or present a fake diploma.