QUETTA, March 12: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court on Monday granted time to the Election Commission of Pakistan during the hearing of petitions filed against the malpractice allegedly committed in the Senate election from Balochistan held on March 2.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Abdul Qadir Mengal, did not accept a request of the counsel for the respondent, Pir Abdul

Qadir Gilani, to also stop development funds of other members of the provincial assembly.

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Aslam Bhootani and Mir Tahir Bizenjo of the National Party have filed constitutional petitions against the alleged use of unfair means in the Senate election.

The court had on March 5 restrained the provincial govern- ment from releasing the develop- ment funds to Mr Gilani who told a press conference before the election that he would cast his vote in favour of a PPP candidate.

The court said that development funds of Mr Gilani were withheld because the matter had been raised before it and funds of other members were not stopped because no one had field any petition to this effect.

The officials of the Election Commission and the planning and development department said that they had not received the copies of the court order and sought time to submit the reply.

The court while accepting their request adjourned the case to the last week of March.