PRIME Minister Gilani has stated that the issue of fake degrees was harming Parliament and parties should not give tickets to fake degree holders. He also stated that degrees were not a criteria for eligibility to contest elections. All this is correct, but it would appear that the PM himself is not listening to his own words. After all, he continues to justify his campaign for a fake degree holder, Dasti, and the announcement of development projects clearly aimed as a bribe to voters for casting their votes for Dasti. The Prime Ministers explanation as to why he did all this does not hold because he himself declared that legislators should protect Parliament above party lines. But his extraordinary support for Dasti was in his own supreme interest even though it undermined the credibility of his Party, the Parliament and national dignity. However, it is not just the PM or his Party that are guilty of speaking with forked tongue on many issues, including that of fake degrees. The PML-N also continues to accommodate fake degree holders and in the upcoming by-polls in Punjab there are two other fake degree holders contesting apart from Mr Dasti. Apart from reflecting a total disregard for the law, given the court judgement on fake degrees, there is a major moral issue involved which obviously holds little relevancy for the major political parties and players. The issue really is not just the questionable legality of continuing to give tickets to fake degree holders - which an independent election commission would have dealt with effectively once and for all - it is also the fact that these people are liars and frauds because by deliberately giving out false information they have committed fraud. Further, their action of resigning to evade disqualification only bolsters the fraudulent proclivities of these people. That is why it is morally reprehensible for parties to encourage such deceitful behaviour and give such people tickets. After all, how can such people be trusted with the nations resources and interests when they have used corrupt means to further their own interests? It is for this reason alone that the Prime Ministers electioneering for Dasti and his announcement of development funds for his constituency - and that too so overtly as a bribe - is to be condemned. As Prime Minister, and thereby head of government, Mr Gilani must lead by example and show his condemnation of fraud and corruption not in mere words but in his actions. Unfortunately, so far his government has itself been indulging all manner of deceptions and evasive actions in relation to enforcement of legal decisions. Their blatant defiance of the decisions of the apex court sends a message to the people at large that if one has power one can place oneself above the law and get away with it - at least for awhile. Is it any wonder then that corruption and nepotism run all the way from top to bottom in our public life?