March 15, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1429

ISLAMABAD, March 14: A three-member bench of the Supreme Court on Friday adjourned until next week the hearing in Lt-Gen (retired) Salahuddin Tirmizi’s election petition regarding issuance of result notification after repolling at two polling stations in NA-20 (Mansehra-I) constituency.

The case was heard by Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokhar, Justice Mohammad Akhtar Shabbir and Justice Zia Pervez.

Senator Latif Khosa, counsel for the petitioner who was not present in the courtroom, and his junior advocate sought adjournment, which was granted as Malik Mohammad Qayyum, counsel for the respondent, did not oppose the request.

Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum appeared before the court as a private counsel for the respondent, Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf, a PML-Q candidate, and told the court that Mr Khosa had also talked to him about the adjournment.

“I have no objection to the adjournment of the case for Tuesday,” Mr Qayyum said.

The SC bench put off the hearing till March 18 and observed that, “This is a serious matter and it will be heard at length.”

It may be recalled here that Lt-Gen (retired) Tirmizi, a PML-N candidate, won the election by a margin of less than 150 votes according to the result announced by the returning officer on February 22 after completing the process of recounting at some polling stations.

Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf filed an application in the Election Commission of Pakistan (SCP) but it was dismissed. The PML-Q candidate then moved the Islamabad High Court which referred the case of repolling to the ECP.

The election commission allowed repolling after accepting the plea of Shahjehan Yousaf, but Salahuddin Tirmizi challenged the decision in the Peshawar High Court through a petition which was dismissed on Wednesday.

He also filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking stay order against the issuance of result notification after the re- polling that was accepted on Thursday, the same day when repolling was held at two polling stations.—PPI