What makes a degree so valuable?

Imagine yourself being presented fake currency notes and upon questioning you get a response like "A note is a note - fake or original". Needless to say you will opt out of the deal. Besides you may also think of suing the fraudulent party.
Now take a look at this classic: "A degree is a degree - fake or original, it does not matter". These golden words reportedly came from none other than Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani, when asked about the fake degree issue.
Without going into the debate of whether or not Pakistans legislators necessarily need to be degree holders, they sure need not be fraudulent people, in the most objective sense. Honesty might be a subjective term, but a countrys lawmakers surely stand no moral ground if they lie about whatever requirements they were asked about, for being eligible to contest.
The Supreme Court has ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to initiate actions against legislators that have used fake degrees to contest elections.
Being a graduate for a parliamentarian is no more a constitutional requirement in Pakistan, so be it - but the 18th Amendment thankfully did not amend section 78 of the constitution, which pertains to corrupt practices.
"Corrupt practice stands defined by Section 78 of the specified term from being elected as a member of an Assembly", the Supreme Court said in its verdict, emphasizing the significance of the parliament as the noblest and most honourable institution, which shapes and carves out not only the laws but a countrys destiny too.
It is this very state of moral bankruptcy that has caused immense losses to Pakistan over decades - both socially and economically. Dishonesty has led to never ending stories of corruption in every other department, which naturally results in huge leakages in the government setup.
That is where the trust deficit between the leaders and masses widens; this is what explains corruption to the extent it is in Pakistan. It is not about the degrees, it is the moral barrier which is broken every now and then by almost everyone who gets the chance.