KARACHI, Feb 7: The Sindh High Court on Friday fixed Feb 10 as the date for hearing of writ petitions moved by three Senate candidates against their disqualification.

A deputy attorney-general appeared in response to notices on petitions by Hassan Ali Chahniyo and Ayaz Malik, who want to contest for general and technocrat seats, respectively, but requested adjournment to prepare his brief as he received notice late on Thursday. The division bench seized of the petitions, which consists of Justice Mohammad Roshan Essani and Justice Mushir Alam, accepted the plea and adjourned the hearing to Feb 10.

Both candidates were held ineligible by the returning officer for producing academic certificates from foreign institutions not recognized by the University Grants Commission. Their appeals against the RO’s decisions were dismissed by Election Commission member Justice M. Ashraf Laghari of the Sindh High Court.

Asif Ali Jatoi, who withdrew his petition to Justice Leghari on Thursday to review the dismissal of his appeal against the RO’s order rejecting his nomination papers for not being a graduate, moved a writ petition before the High Court. The bench issued notices to a DAG and the Election Commission for Feb 10.

Mr Jatoi contends that he had completed all the formalities required for graduation, whereas the commission expressed its inability to accept his claim in the absence of a degree from the University of South California, USA, which he attended.

ADJOURNED: A division bench of the Sindh High Court adjourned the hearing of a writ petition questioning the government’s failure to contradict press reports that some judges of the superior courts would be relieved at the time of administration of a fresh oath to them.