A district and sessions court on Monday sentenced former Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Jamshed Ahmed Dasti to a total of 17 years in prison in a fake degree case, ruling that he concealed facts and violated Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The judgment stated that Dasti was awarded three years under Section 82 of the Pakistan Penal Code, two years under Section 420, seven years under Section 468, two years under Section 471 along with a fine of Rs10,000, and another three years under Section 206.

The court clarified that the punishments would run concurrently, which effectively makes his imprisonment seven years.

According to the prosecution, Dasti contested the 2008 general elections from NA-178 Muzaffargarh on the basis of a Bachelor’s degree purportedly issued by a seminary.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) later filed a reference after the Higher Education Commission (HEC) confirmed that no record of such a degree existed.

During his nomination process, Dasti had attached seminary certificates with his election papers, which the court later declared unverifiable and fraudulent.

Upholding the prosecution’s case, the court ruled that the former lawmaker deliberately misled the election authorities and submitted a fake degree to secure his candidacy.