GUJAR KHAN   -  An investigation launched by the Sohawa Bar Association has cast doubt on the academic qualifi­cations of four lawyers, raising concerns about the legitimacy of their degrees. Additionally, one suspected lawyer has been arrest­ed following a formal complaint lodged by the bar president.

Raja Sohail Shafique Advocate, President of the Sohawa Bar Association, revealed the find­ings of the probe committee at a press conference on Monday. He detailed that a six-member com­mittee was established to verify the authenticity of degrees held by bar members. Notices were issued to four individuals whose degrees could not be confirmed.

Advocate Shafique reported that the issue was escalated to the Punjab Bar Council (PBC), which has directed the initia­tion of legal proceedings against those with fraudulent degrees.

According to Shafique, the dis­puted degrees were obtained from a fictitious American uni­versity via a website. He claimed, “Hundreds of individuals with fake degrees are members of bar associations in Punjab, mirroring the Axact scandal.” He highlight­ed that such degrees are sold for approximately Rs. 1 million each, amounting to a potential total of Rs. 1 billion if distributed among 1000 individuals. Shafique em­phasized the need for action against this “gang” and alleged the involvement of a government official from Sohawa in the scam.

In an interview with The Na­tion, Mr. Sohail Shafique identi­fied the suspected lawyers as Yasrab Ali, Qaiser Ali, Tanveer Ahmed, and Naeem Afzal.

He noted that these individu­als claimed to have obtained their degrees from the Univer­sity of Northampton in the USA, though the institution is located in the UK. Shafique pointed out that none of the lawyers had travel records to the USA or UK. He also revealed that Tanveer Ahmed and Naeem Afzal have agreed to become approvers in the case. The Punjab Bar Council has accepted their proposal to investigate the broader scandal.

Additionally, Shafique alleged that some clerical staff members of the Punjab Bar Council were im­plicated in the fake degree scheme.

In a notable development, the Sohawa police have arrested Yasrab Ali, who was found with a fake degree and had used a counterfeit Punjab Bar Council license to secure membership in the Sohawa Bar Association. A case has been filed under sec­tions 420, 468, and 471 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), with investigations ongoing.