LAHORE, July 9: An election tribunal of the Lahore High Court issued on Wednesday notice to Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri on a petition challenging his return from NA-140 (Kasur).

Alleging that Mr Kasuri used unfair means to win the elections, Maulana Moinuddin Lakhvi pleaded the court to cancel the minister’s membership of the legislature.

Mr Lakhvi alleged that Mr Kasuri’s supporters used illegal means before and during the polling to secure a lead of 919 votes over him.

The entire machinery of the Kasur district government was used allegedly by Mr Kasuri for his election campaign. Mr Kasuri also allegedly misappropriated Baitul Maal and Zakat funds which were distributed among the voters to win their support.

“There was visible difference between the official counting results given by the presiding officer concerned and the returning officer concerned on some 21 polling stations,” the Maulana alleged, and claimed that his application for recounting of votes was dismissed by the presiding officer without any legal justification.

ACQUITTED: Justice Khwaja Muhammad Sharif set aside the conviction of an accused in Sheikhpura bomb blast case.

Iftikhar alias Khari was given the benefit of doubt and acquitted of the charges of planting a bomb in a passenger bus, parked at the Sheikhupura bus stand on May 5, 1996.

He was sentenced to death on 11 counts and fined Rs150,000 by an anti-terrorism court last year.