RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench on Wednesday declared Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Yasir Raza disqualified over his fake academic record.

Justice Khwaja Imtiaz Ahmed of the LHC’s Rawalpindi bench declared the provincial lawmaker from PP-13 ineligible for holding any public office, and ordered Election Commission of Pakistan to hold bye-polls on the constituency.

Raza’s rival, Ishtiaq Mirza, a PPP candidate from the same constituency challenged his graduation degree to which the court ordered Raza to appear before the jury along with his academic certificates.

The petitioner had challenged the graduation degree, HSSC certificate and even intermediate certificate of the MPA, alleging that the examination form did not have the photograph of the MPA but the certificate was issued to him.

Yasir Raza, speaking to newsmen following the court verdict, said he would challenge the decision in Supreme Court, asserting that he would again contest the polls if party leadership allowed him.