June 21, 2006	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 24, 1427

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PESHAWAR, June 20: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday put on notice two women MPAs of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal. The bench, comprising Justice Ijazul Hassan and Justice Ejaz Afzal, adjourned hearing on identical petitions filed by six former MPAs of the MMA. The court fixed June 29 for next hearing.

The petitioners have challenged their controversial resignations which had been accepted by the NWFP Assembly speaker.

The petitions have been filed by four former lawmakers of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam — Rukhsana Raz, Yasmeen Khalid, Maulana Dildar and Gorsaran Lal — and two MPAs of the Jamaat-i-Islami — Malik Hayat Khan and Raja Faisal Zaman.

At the very outset of the proceedings when the bench took up for hearing the petitions of the two women petitioners, it was observed that the petitioners had now been replaced by two other MPAs, Saira Bano and Farkhanda Naz. Therefore, no order could be passed without hearing them.

The bench observed that notice had to be served on both the female MPAs so that they could be represented in the petitions.

The high court has already restrained the Election Commission from taking any adverse action against the petitioners, excepting the two women.

The petitioners have claimed that they had not submitted resignations and the notifications, declaring their seats vacant, issued on the basis of their resignations, were unconstitutional and illegal.