PESHAWAR, Dec 18: The Peshawar High Court's Election Tribunal on Monday dismissed applications of Senators Ilyas Ahmad Bilour and Azam Swati for cancellation of election petitions against them and fixed Jan 15, 2007, for next hearing of a plea seeking disqualification of the four senators elected on reserved seats from Fata and the NWFP.

The tribunal presided over by Justice Ijazul Hassan turned down the applications filed by Senators Bilour and Swati, asking the court to expunge allegations levelled against them in the petitions and dismiss them.

The applicants contended that the petitioner had failed to fulfil legal procedures before filing the petitions against them.

The court had earlier reserved judgment on the civil miscellaneous applications of Mr Bilour of the Awami National Party and Mr Swati of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

The petitioner, E. Azam Khan has alleged that Senator Bilour’s MBA degree from Al Khair University, AJK, is fake, and Senator Swati has a dual nationality of the United States and Pakistan.

Mohammad Ayub, who was a candidate for the Senate seat from Mohmand Agency, has contended in his election petition against Senator Hafiz Rashid Ahmad that he is underage for the reserved seat.

Another candidate, Shah Hussain from Bajaur Agency, has alleged that Senator Maulana Abdur Rashid is an Afghan national.—PPI