PESHAWAR, Dec 18: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court here on Wednesday suspended the order of an election tribunal disqualifying the Swabi District Nazim, Sher Zaman Sher.

The bench comprising, the chief justice of the high court, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Ijazul Hassan, allowed the petitioner to continue as the District Nazim until order.

An election tribunal had disqualified the petitioner, Sher Zaman Sher, on Nov 28 from holding the office of Nazim on the ground that he had produced fake secondary school certificate.

Advocate Aamir Jawed appeared for the petitioner and argued that he would suffer irreparable loss if an interim order was not issued in his favour.

He argued that the petitioner had cleared the secondary school examination and should not be victimized. He requested the court to suspend the tribunal’s order until the final disposal of the writ petition.

The rival candidate for the post of Nazim, Jehanzaib Khan, had challenged his election before the election tribunal.

During pendency of the election petition, the Nazim had approached the high court and filed a writ petition on the ground that after the promulgation of the NWFP Local Government Ordinance, 2001, the election tribunals had no authority to hear elections cases.

During pendency of that petition the high court had stayed the proceedings of the election tribunal. Finally, the high court dismissed the petition on June 26, 2002, following which the tribunal resumed proceedings against the petitioner.

The rival candidate had claimed that according to the record of the BISE he had failed in English and General Science.

The tribunal had accepted the petition as an official of the board had confirmed that he had failed in two subjects.