LAHORE, Sept 8: A Lahore High Court (LHC) election tribunal on Sunday issued notice to the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba (SSP) president, Maulana Azam Tariq, for September 12 on two appeals against his candidature for a National Assembly seat.

The state as well as a citizen, Waqas Akram, challenged the candidature of Maulana Azam Tariq on grounds that he was the leader of a banned organization. They appended a list of 69 criminal cases against Mr Tariq with the application.

Representing the state, Punjab Additional Advocate General Mohammad Hanif Khattana pleaded that according to Section 8-D(2-g) of the Conduct of General Elections Order 2002, anybody found guilty of propagating views against the ideology, sovereignty or security of Pakistan, maintenance of public order or the independence of judiciary could not contest the elections.

He contended that Maulana Tariq had been heading a banned organization and that the LHC Review Board had endorsed his detention on security grounds.

When asked by the tribunal comprising Justice Najamu Zaman and Justice Pervez Ahmad if Maulana Tariq had been convicted in any case against him, the other petitioner, Mr Waqas, answered in the negative.

The tribunal adjourned the hearing until September 12 when Maulana Tariq would defend his case.

Meanwhile, the tribunal dismissed an appeal against PTI chairman Dr Tahriul Qadri’s nomination for NA-89, saying that there was no evidence on record to suggest that the PTI chief had been declared insane or had derived any benefits from various political parties.

Dr Qadri’s candidature was also challenged by Mr Waqas Akram on grounds that he and his associates had carried weapons at a procession in violation of Section 144 of the CrPC. He had allegedly done so when a judicial inquiry into firing at his residence on April 4, 1990, was under way.

The petitioner claimed that Dr Qadri had boycotted the inquiry and given a statement in the Press, doubting the credibility of witnesses like Malik Faizul Hassan and Maulana Ghulam Sarwar Qadri.

He pleaded that such acts of Dr Qadri were sufficient to prove that he had no regard for the judiciary.

The petitioner also accused Dr Qadri of exploiting differences between the IJI and PPP and supporting the latter to gain political benefits. According to him, Dr Qadri did not have a sound mind and had been making false claims to seek publicity.

He argued that once Dr Qadri delayed the Friday prayers for 45 minutes just to wait for the then President Ziaul Haq and denied the act at the next Friday prayers.

It was submitted by Dr Qadri’s counsel that the one-man tribunal constituted to probe the firing incident at his residence did not have the status of a court and his client could not be accused of contempt of court. Responding to a query, the counsel read out extracts from different books suggesting that Dr Qadri was a recognized Islamic scholar and a leader of great influence.

The counsel pleaded that his client was also a consultant jurist for the Federal Shariat Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan, whose character could not be doubted in any way.

Meanwhile, the tribunal also dismissed an appeal against the candidature of PPP leader Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar for NA-105 for want of force and conviction.

Another 26 appeals against decisions of returning officers (ROs) were dismissed by LHC election tribunals.