July 8, 2003	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 7,1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 7: Unseated member of the National Assembly Mufti Ibrar Sultan of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Monday approached the Supreme Court for setting aside the Election Tribunal’s judgment, rendering him disqualified on grounds of possessing inadequate educational qualifications.

The petition, which would be taken up for preliminary hearing on Tuesday by the Chief Justice in his chambers, contended that the University Grants Commission recognised the Sanad Shahadutal Alimiya fil Uloomul Arabia Wal-Islamia, granted by Wafaqi Tanzeemul Madaris, as being equivalent to M.A, adding that a decision in this regard had been taken in 1982 and since then, it had not been challenged by anyone.

He contended that the Sanad could not be used for employment purposes, and he, as an MNA, was not in the service of Pakistan. The de-seated MNA from Kohat said that he had won the election against Syed Iftikhar Hussain Gillani with a margin of 42,000 votes.

He contended that at that stage, the matter was in the notice of the Election Commission, comprising five judges, a retired chief justice, and four serving judges of high courts.

The Election Commission, he said, had, after careful consideration, instructed the retuning officers to treat the nomination papers of candidates possessing Sanads as valid.