LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking cancellation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement`s registration with Election Commission of Pakistan as a political party and its dissolution.

Dismissing the petition, Justice Shahid Waheed observed that the petitioner did not avail first remedy available in the law and directly moved the court.

The petitioner should have approached the interior ministry and election commission first for the required relief, the judge added.

Advocate Ali Javed Dogar, affiliated with PTI, filed the petition contending that MQM was no more a lawful political party since it ceased to fulfil the mandatory part of section 3(4) of Political Parties Order 2002 for the last few years as it was admitted by its workers and office-bearers before media that it had been receiving funds from spy agency of India for terrorist activities in Pakistan.