PESHAWAR, Nov 19: An election tribunal on Saturday issued notice to Peshawar District Nazim Haji Ghulam Ali on a petition seeking his disqualification. The tribunal, presided over by the Charsadda District and Sessions Judge Subhan Sher Khan, fixed Dec 3 for next hearing.

The election petition was filed by Haroon Ahmad Bilour, who lost the election against Ghulam Ali on Oct 6.

The petitioner claimed that Ghulam Ali has not passed the secondary school certificate examination, thus he was not qualified to contest the elections.

He also claimed that Ghulam Ali had been charged in different cases but he did not mention the fact in his nomination papers.

He said Ghulam Ali was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau on charges of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. He was released on bail but he was facing the trial, the petitioner said.

The petitioner said the respondent had submitted a detailed marks certificate and not the secondary school certificate with his nomination papers.

He claimed that according to the marks certificate the respondent had failed in English.

Advocate Abdul Lateef Afridi appeared for the petitioner and contended that the respondent had concealed vital facts while filing nomination papers, thus he was not qualified to hold the office of nazim.