LAHORE, Feb 15: Punjab Food Minister Chaudhry Mohammad Iqbal on Tuesday deposed before an election tribunal of the Lahore High Court that allegations levelled against him were false and that he contested the October 2002 election fairly as an ordinary candidate.

The tribunal adjourned the hearing of Arqam Khan's petition untill March 7. The petitioner, who lost to Mr Iqbal in Punjab Assembly constituency PP-98 (Gujranwala) as an independent candidate, alleged that the minister had defaulted in the payment of a bank loan at the time of filing his nomination papers.

He contended that despite his application to the returning officer, he was declared qualified to contest the election. He alleged that Mr Iqbal also manipulated the election results and committed other irregularities.

Chaudhry Iqbal said he was neither a bank defaulter nor had impressed upon the returning officer to change results. He submitted that he had won elections from the constituency many a time in the past. He also submitted documents in support of his statement before the tribunal.