KOHAT, Oct 5: District and Sessions Judge Syed Yahya Gilani disqualified four nazims of the union councils of Hangu district declaring their Sanads (seminaries’ certificates) as not equivalent to the prescribed educational qualification on Wednesday.

All the four nazims belong to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazlur Rehman group) and were elected in the second phase of the local body polls. Under the rule the whole panels including the four naib nazims also stood disqualified.

Those disqualified were Maulana Noor Mohammad of Dalan union council, Maulana Muzamilur Rehman of Tora Warai union council, Abdul Haq of Karbogha Sharif and Tehseenullah of Togh Serai union council. There qualifications were challenged by their opponents.

The nazims of Dalan and Togh Serai union councils were disqualified because the sanads of their naib nazims — Maulana Yaseen and Raziud Din — were declared as not equivalent to the secondary school certificate which was the minimum qualification required for contesting the local body polls.

The runner ups of those UCs have automatically become the nazims according to the election rules. They are Shama Jan of the PPP (Sherpao) from Dalan; Saeed Khan of the Awami National Party from Tora Warai; Mohammad Sharif from Togh Serai (independent) and Mamoor Khan from Karbogha (independent).

All the disqualified nazims are likely to challenge the decision of the district and sessions judge in the Peshawar high Court, but would not be able to cast votes in the district and tehsil nazim elections being held on Thursday.