March 09, 2008	Sunday	Safar 30, 1429

LAHORE, March 8: The Lahore High Court has disposed of four election petitions, including the one filed by former National Assembly speaker Syed Fakhr Imam, with the observation that these may be filed before election tribunals.

Mr Imam, who was defeated from NA-156, Khanewal, had challenged the victory of his rival Raza Hayat Hiraj levelling rigging allegations against him.

Another petition had been filed by Malik Umer Aslam Awan, defeated from NA-69, Khushab, in which he alleged that Election Commission rigged the results given by the presiding officers. Former federal minister and PML-Q women wing president Sumera Malik was declared returned candidate from the constituency with 61,076 votes, while Malik got 60,443.

The third petition was filed by National Reconstruction Bureau head Danial Aziz, a defeated candidate from NA-116, Narowal, against the winner, Chaudhary Tariq Anees, alleging FIRs had been registered against Mr Anees for getting bogus votes cast on gunpoint.

The fourth was filed by Yaseen Khan, a defeated candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) from PP-134, Shakar Garh. In the petition, it was alleged that his rival Abbas Chaudhary had maltreated him on Feb 18 and rigged the election through bogus votes.

LHC division bench, comprising Justice Moulvi Anwarul Haq and Justice Zafar Iqbal Chaudhary, after hearing the arguments of all the parties, separately, disposed of the petitions.

The court observed that all these petitions may be filed before the Election Tribunals, constituted by Election Commission of Pakistan, as they required comprehensive trials. —APP