Islamabad: Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) chief minister Khalid Khurshid Khan, a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, was on Tuesday disqualified by the region’s chief court over his fake law degree, in a fresh setback to former prime minister Imran Khan’s party.
Khalid was accused of getting a license to practice law from the GB Bar Council on the basis of a fake degree.
A three-member bench comprising Judge Malik Anayatur Rehman, Judge Johar Ali, and Judge Mohammad Mushtaq passed the order on a petition to disqualify the chief minister after hearing arguments.
GB Assembly member Ghulam Shahzad Agha, who belongs to the Pakistan Peoples Party, had challenged Khalid’s law degree and sought his disqualification under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.
Khalid’s lawyer Advocate Asadullah said he would challenge the verdict.
“We are waiting for the detailed verdict and will then file an appeal against it in the Supreme Appellate Court GB,” he said, adding that all other available options would be exercised.
Khan’s party, which is facing its most difficult phase following the unprecedented attack on sensitive military installations by his supporters in May, in a statement said that it would stand with Khalid who enjoyed a majority in the assembly.
Khalid was elected as the chief minister of GB in 2020.
India has repeatedly said that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, which also includes the so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’ has been, is and shall remain an integral part of India. The Pakistan Government or judiciary have no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it, the Ministry of External Affairs has said.
