Multan:
A Multan session court granted a 17 -year sentence to a prison sentence to the former MNA, Jamshed Dasti after having recognized him guilty of having used a false university diploma to challenge the elections.
The case, initiated by the Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP), alleged that Dasti challenged the 2008 general elections on the basis of a fraudulent baccalaureate. The Sindh Higher Education Commission confirmed “it did not hold any file of the diploma in question”.
The accusation argued that Dasti had violated articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution by hiding the truth about his qualifications and was therefore not eligible to occupy a public service. He was elected from NA-178 Muzaffargarh in 2008, but was then disqualified when the degree was declared invalid.
Despite the previous disqualification, Dasti was re-elected during the 2024 general elections of NA-175 Muzaffargarh. However, he faced disqualification again, this time to subject a false intermediate certificate.
In July 2025, the ECP disqualified Dasti following a reference sent by the president of the National Assembly as well as two petitions requesting his disqualification.
An ECP bench of three members, led by the member (Sindh) Nisar Durrani, heard a petition deposited by Ameer Akbar, raising concerns about the assets, liabilities and academic references of Dasti. During the hearing, the member of the KP of the ECP wondered if Dasti had not disclosed assets and examined the authenticity of his qualification fa listed.
The petitioner’s lawyer informed the commission that Dasti had falsely declared an intermediate qualification, when in reality, he had not even finished registration but submitted a matrix certificate issued from the Karachi board of directors.
The ECP ruled in favor of the petitioners, approved two disqualification petitions and ordered that criminal procedures be initiated against Dasti. A legal action is continued under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution and articles 4, 9 and 137 of the 2017 law on elections.
In May 2025, the ECP ordered the Karachi education board of education to verify the Academic Skills titles of Dasti, intensifying the legal pressure on the controversial politician more.
Dasti’s political career, formerly rooted in populist rhetoric and independent politics, now seems to be marred by repeated setbacks and legal disqualifications linked to forged educational qualifications. Legal procedures are underway, with other consequences expected in the light of recent convictions.
