June 24, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 19, 1429

PESHAWAR, June 23: The provincial minister for prisons, Mian Nisar Gul, on Monday filed a reply to the petition challenging his election as MPA.

An election tribunal comprising Justice Hamid Faroqo Durrani adjourned to July 7 the hearing of the petition filed by former provincial minister, Fareed Toofan, who had lost to Mr Gul on the provincial assembly constituency of PF-40 Karak.

Mr Toofan had received 21,204 votes against 29,047 votes received by Mr Gul who had won as independent candidate and later on joined the Awami National Party.

The petitioner has alleged that the winning candidate was involved in massive rigging. He alleged that the candidate was involved in bogus polling and stuffing ballot boxes with bogus votes.

Advocate M. Sardar Khan appeared for Mr Gul and filed written reply to the petition. Mr Gul has rejected all the allegations and stated that the polls were held in transparent and impartial manner.

He stated that there was no evidence put forward by the petitioner to prove his charges. He requested the court to reject the petition.

Meanwhile, the same tribunal directed an MPA of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Mufti Syed Janan, to file written reply to an election petition filed by his rival candidate.

The tribunal fixed July 7 for next hearing. The petition is filed by the rival candidate, Fareed Mufakir, a leader of Pakistan Muslim League –N, who lost to Mufti Janan on provincial assembly constituency of PF-43 Hangu.

Mr Mufakir had received 7,010 votes against 11,180 votes of Mufti Janan. He alleged that Mufti Janan had used unfair means to win the polls.