ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: Senate Deputy Chairman Sabir Ali Baloch has rejected a reference seeking disqualification of Interior Minister Rehman Malik, sources told Dawn.

They said the reference filed by Maulvi Iqbal Haider Advocate was disposed of by Mr Baloch in his capacity as the acting chairman of the Senate on Oct 1.

Maulvi Haider said he had objected to the candidature of Rehman Malik, when he re-filed papers for a Senate seat in July after tendering his resignation.

He said at the time of scrutiny on July 23, he had raised the objection that under the Constitution a convicted person could not contest election.

He said he filed a disqualification reference with the Senate after the nomination papers were accepted.