26 January 2005	Wednesday	15 Zilhaj 1425

LAHORE, Jan 25: An election tribunal of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday adjourned till Feb 16 the hearing of a petition challenging the election of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz upon the request of his counsel Barrister Waseem Sajjad Jan.

Barrister Jan is also the leader of the house in the Senate. When the tribunal, comprising Justice Syed Zahid Husain, took up the hearing of the petition, the counsel sought time for filing a reply to allegations. The tribunal had ordered the prime minister in December to submit the reply.

The petition was moved by Engineer Muhammad Jameel, who lost to the prime minister the by election to a National Assembly seat from Attock in August last year. He contended that the bypoll was rigged and manipulated.

On an objection by Mr Aziz's counsel, the tribunal directed the petitioner to provide to him (the counsel) a copy of the video cassette which he had submitted to substantiate his allegations.

The petitioner also produced some photographs before the tribunal to support his contention that Mr Aziz had flouted the laws on the display of hoarding during his election rallies.

The petitioner alleged that Mr Aziz had manipulated the bypoll by misusing his status as the federal minister. His election expenses were borne by the public exchequer and a team of federal and provincial ministers, he alleged, adding the district Nazim and other local government functionaries carried out his electioneering.

He also alleged that Mr Aziz did not qualify to be elected to the National Assembly because he was not a Pakistani citizen, possessed an American passport and operated accounts with the US banks in Washington and New York. He requested the court to disqualify the prime minister from the NA seat.