A rival candidate in PS-73 (Jamshoro) by-polls has challenged the acceptance of nomination papers of PPP’s Syed Murad Ali Shah widely tipped to be next chief minister of Sindh.
Roshan Ali Buriro, who belongs to nationalist organisation Sindh United Party, filed an appeal before a two-member election tribunal on Saturday claiming that Murad Shah did not meet the qualification under Article 62 and 63 of the constitution. The tribunal, which consists of Justice Abdul Rasool Memon and Justice Salahuddin Panwhar of the Sindh High Court (SHC) Hyderabad circuit bench, will hear Buriro’s appeal on Monday for which notices have been issued to Murad Shah, provincial election commission, regional election commissioner Hyderabad, district election commissioner who is the returning officer for PS-73 and six other respondents.
Notice has also been issued to the Deputy Attorney General (DAG) for the said date.
The PS-73 (Jamshoro) seat had fallen vacant after resignation of Murad Shah’s first cousin Abdul Nabi Shah.
Earlier this week, Returning Officer Imran Ahmed accepted Murad’s nomination forms for by-election in the constituency after he submitted a certificate issued on July 18 last year by the Canadian government showing he had renounced his dual nationality.
Buriro has previously lost by-polls against Murad in February 2013 bagging only a few thousands votes as Habibullah Rind ended as the runner up.
In his appeal, Buriro termed acceptance of his rival’s candidature as violation of law and procedure because of malafide intentions of the RO. He said the nomination forms were accepted without realising and considering the fact that Shah did not meet qualification criteria under Articles 62 and 63 of Constitution.
The appellant maintained that Shah contested 2008 polls by falsely claiming that he meets criteria of qualification to become a member of national or provincial assembly. He said such a statement was given under oath, but his later admission of holding dual nationality at that time disqualifies him under Article 63 from contesting elections.
Murad Shah has recently resigned as adviser on finance to CM Sindh to contest polls from his home constituency which has previously been held by his late father, Syed Abdullah Shah.
The former finance minister himself won polls in the constituency in 2002, 2008 and then in the 2013 by-polls. This will be Murad’s fourth straight elections if things go his way.
Murad Shah, who is tipped among party circles to be the next chief minister as a replacement for the elderly Qaim Ali Shah, has previously briefly served as irrigation and revenue ministers.
