PESHAWAR, Sept 6: A civil court on Saturday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan, PML-Q central secretary-general Saleem Saifullah, provincial acting president of PML-Q Agha Syed Ali Shah, and other leaders in a suit filed for holding elections for the office of PML-Q provincial president.

The court presided over by Abdul Baseer fixed September 20 for next hearing and directed the respondents to appear in person or through their counsel.

The suit is filed by Peshawar City Vice-President of PML-Q Abdul Waheed Kamran advocate, who is also secretary-general of Muslim League Lawyers Wing.

The plaintiff stated that Syed Ali Shah was nominated acting provincial president of the party by a provincial working committee for 45 days which ended on May 15, following which he had no authority to call himself as the provincial president.

He stated that the PML-Q being a registered political party with the Election Commission, was bound to act in accordance with its constitution as supplied by it to the commission.

He added that the provincial secretary-general was bound by the provisions of the PML-Q constitution to summon a meeting of the provincial working committee to fix a date for the election on the vacant seat of the provincial president.

The plaintiff has prayed to the court to restrain Syed Ali Shah from calling himself as the acting president of PML-Q, NWFP. He added that he should also be restrained from operating the funds of PML-Q NWFP.

He said the provincial working committee had earlier constituted an election authority and announced an election schedule whereby the election was to be held on April 30. He maintained that Syed Ali Shah, Mohammad Nisar Khan, Qazi Shamsuddin and Javed Iqbal were the candidates for the post of president.

However, elections were cancelled and it was announced that within the stipulated period of 45 days elections would be held. However, he stated, no meeting of the working committee was convened to announce a fresh date for polls.