Gohar Sarfraz Qureshi filed a petition in the Lahore High Court that contended his wife Shamsa Gohar had concealed facts about her first marriage when she married him.

"Shamsa, a member of the (Punjab) provincial assembly contracted marriage with me in 2006 and showed herself as unmarried in the nikahnama (marriage certificate)," he said.

"After some time, I came to know that she is already married to Abid Ali," said Qureshi.

He alleged that Shamsa had contracted marriage with Ali on March 27, 2005, and concealed this fact when she married him on April 9, 2006.

"No proof of Shamsa's divorce from Ali is found in the records of the concerned Union Council," Qureshi said.

He further accused his wife of receiving millions of rupees as allowances from the national exchequer to attend Punjab Assembly sessions.

Qureshi, who is estranged from Shamsa, said the lawmaker belonged to Sialkot but had been living in Lahore for the past four years.

He contended she was not entitled to the allowances as she was living in Lahore.

He asked the court to invoke constitutional provisions and disqualify his wife for being a "dishonest person".

Justice Khwaja Imtiaz Ahmad Lahore High Court heard arguments by Qureshi's counsel yesterday and issued notices to the Election Commission and Shamsa.

A source close to Shamsa said that the couple had separated after developing differences some time ago.

"In fact, Qureshi wants to teach a lesson to Shamsa by moving the court against her," the source said.