TAXILA, Oct 22: Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) leader Jameel Ahmed Malik on Sunday said the suspension of membership of three MNAs and one MPA for possessing fake degrees was a stigma on the present so-called graduate parliament.

Speaking at a press conference in Wah Cantt, he said presence of people with fake degrees in the federal and provincial assemblies was a joke with the nation, democracy, constitution and the parliament itself.

He said cases against the parliamentarians, including those belonging of the ruling party, were under trail in the election commission and more members would be suspended.

Mr Malik said the fake degree case against a parliamentarian from Taxila was a test for the judiciary, as he filed the case in December 2002 and it was accepted for hearing recently.

He said according to the law the election commission should dispose of such a case within eight weeks. He urged the judiciary to play its due role in maintaining the supremacy of the law. The CPP leader said dictators and the establishment always created room for the second tier and "˜faulty' leadership to come forward, flourish and protect their interests.

Transporters double fares: As Eidul Fitr is just two days away, the transporters have doubled fares on their own under the very nose of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and the local traffic police.

An exodus of people was Sunday seen at Taxila, Wah Cantonment and Hassanabdal bus terminals, who were desperate to reach their hometowns to spend Eid holidays with their loved ones. People were complaining they were forced to pay Rs30-40.

The aggrieved passengers blamed that traffic police and RTA bosses were turning a blind eye to the increased charges on all inter-city and inter-district routes."”Corresponden t

http://www.dawn. com/2006/ 10/23/nat14. htm