PESHAWAR, May 12: An election tribunal here on Monday reserved its judgment in an election petition challenging the election of an MPA, Attiqur Rehman, from Hangu.

The petition was filed by Khan Afzal, a candidate of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, stating that Mr Rehman, belonging to the Awami National Party, was not 25 years old at the time of filing his nomination papers and thus he was not qualified to contest elections on PF-42 (Hangu-I) constituency.

Mr Rehman has already been expelled from the ANP after the Senate elections as the ANP leadership charged him of violating party’s discipline by selling his vote to a contesting candidate.

Advocate Essa Khan appeared for the petitioner and argued that Mr Rehman was 22-year old and did not qualify for the elections as the age required for contesting polls was 25 years. He claimed Mr Rehman, who is the son of former provincial minister Ghaniur Rehman, had filed a suit before the court of a local civil judge for contesting the polls, following which a decree was issued in his favour.

He argued that there were various discrepancies in the order of the civil judge. The order was issued on Sept 2, 2002, whereas in one of the documents Mr Rehman had given the date of issuance of the decree in advance during the month of August.

He added that the civil court had overlooked various important points before issuance of the decree in his favour.

Advocate Naveed Maqsood appeared for the respondent and contended that from the documents available on record it was evident that the respondent was 25-year old at the time of filing of his nomination papers.