April 24, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1429

PESHAWAR, April 23: The chief election commissioner has referred various election petitions filed by the losing candidates to the seven election tribunals comprising judges of the Peshawar High Court for conducting trials.

The petitioners have mostly cited rigging as the main ground for filing their respective petitions.

An election petition challenging the election of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F’s Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, is referred to the tribunal comprising Justice Muhammad Alam Khan.

The petition is filed by former MNA, Malik Nasir Khan, who lost to Maulana Fazlur Rehman on the National Assembly constituency of NA-26 Bannu. Mr Khan has alleged that the supporters of Maulana Fazal were involved in corrupt practices as they had polled bogus votes.

An election petition filed against former chief minister, Pir Sabir Shah, is referred to Justice Syed Yahya Zahid Gillani. The petition is filed by Faisal Zaman, a former provincial minister, who lost to Sabir Shah on PF-52 Haripur. He had lost with a narrow margin of 639 votes.

Another petition filed against senior provincial minister, Bashir Ahmad Bilour, by the losing candidate Muhammad Iqbal is referred to Justice Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik. The petitioner has alleged that Mr Bilour was director of Bilour Match Factory which had defaulted on loan acquired from a bank. He added that under the law Mr Bilour was not qualified to contest polls. Another losing candidate Haroon Ahmad Bilour of ANP, who is son of Bashir Ahmad Bilour, has also filed an election petition against provincial health minister, Syed Zahir Shah. The CEC referred the said petition to Justice Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik.

Three petitions were referred to Justice Said Maroof Khan. These petitions are filed against the elections of MNAs Noor Alam Khan and Munir Orakzai and MPA Alamzeb Khan.

The petition against Noor Alam Khan, who hails from PPP, was filed by the rival candidate Hashim Babar of ANP. He has levelled charges against the returning officer of the concerned NA-3 Peshawar constituency. He alleged that the results were consolidated in his absence.

The petition against Munir Orakzai, who won from tribal area constituency of NA-38, was filed by the rival candidate, Akhundzada Obaidullah. He alleged that Mr Orakzai had indulged in massive rigging.

Similarly, a losing candidate of PPP, Muhammad Akber Khan, filed an election petition against Alamzeb Khan of ANP. He has also charged the MPA of indulging in corrupt practices and casting bogus votes.

An election petition filed by former provincial minister, Nawabzada Mohsin Ali Khan, against MNA Mufti Ajmal, was referred to a tribunal comprising Justice Hamid Farooq Durrani.