29 May 2004	Saturday	09 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

HYDERABAD, May 28: An election tribunal, headed by Justice Moosa K. Leghari of the Sindh High Court, on Friday dismissed an election petition filed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's defeated candidate Farooque Qureshi, challenging election of MPA Abdul Rehman Rajput of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on PS-45 in Hyderabad.

The tribunal had ordered recounting of ballots of the constituency which was suspended thrice by deputy election commissioner Imran Siddiqui as the two sides traded allegations against each other.

The recounting was completed finally and the DEC sent his consolidated statement to the tribunal. Mr Rajput had obtained 18,393 votes in October 2002 general elections, beating Farooque Qureshi of the MQM.

In a statement on Friday Mr Rajput said that the verdict was a victory of truth. The Taluka City Nazim Haji Moinuddin Sheikh and members Iqbal Sheikh, Usman Abbasi, Qari Niaz Ahmed and others also welcomed the decision of election tribunal and congratulated the MPA.