LAHORE, Sept 18: The Lahore High Court registrar office on Tuesday returned a petition, challenging Election Commission of Pakistan’s notification that Gen Pervez Musharraf was an eligible candidate for re-election.

The office said the petition, which assailed the notification, did not carry its copy.

“The ECP does not possess either the powers or jurisdiction to change the pre-requisite qualification of a candidate seeking re-election as president,” petitioner Muhammad Azhar advocate said.

No such power was vested with the ECP and no sub-constitutional legislation could change the provisions of the Constitution in this regard. Constitutional provisions could only be amended as per the procedure laid down in articles 238 and 239, he added.

The constitutional provisions did not provide that a person could remain qualified to act as president of Pakistan while holding an office of profit under the government beyond Nov 15, 2007, he said.

A candidate, clearly suffering from a constitutional inability to remain the president for the next five years, could not seek such re-election.

ATC: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday recorded the statements of two prosecution witnesses in the murder case of seven people, including former additional advocate-general Arif Bhinder.

The court summoned five more prosecution witnesses, including two doctors, Dr Misbah Sadaqat and Dr Abid, for Sept 20 (tomorrow). —Reporter